Moyer treats Reds

Bryce Alderton

NEWPORT BEACH - Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Jamie Moyer and

Newport Beach Little League Majors American League Manager Fred Silva

made a bet during the 2002 Little League season.

The two that met in 1996 made a bet that if the Major Reds, whom Silva

coached, either won Newport Beach’s American Division or played in the

league’s championship game, then Moyer would treat the team to a suite

for a Mariners game at Safeco Field.

Well, the Reds made it to the title game, losing to the Diamondbacks,

3-2 in nine innings, so Silva and his team made the two-day trip to

Seattle June 25-26.

They watched the Mariners defeat the Oakland A’s, 7-1, on June 25. The

next night, Moyer pitched seven innings of two-hit shutout baseball, but

got a no-decision in a 1-0 Mariners’ win over Oakland.

Before the game the kids toured the dugouts and field at Safeco and

received autographed balls from Moyer, according to Reds’ second baseman

Eric Mooney.

“You see a huge, gigantic ballpark that’s really awesome,” Mooney

said. “(Moyer) talked about becoming a major leaguer and joining the

Mariners. He was real nice.”

Moyer was the first major leaguer Timmy Winning had met. Winning liked

touring the press box.

“It was cool in the press box to see all the little holes from where

foul balls hit,” Winning said.

During the game, the team enjoyed the amenities of the suite, watching

the movie “American Idol” and eating dipping dots and chips and salsa.

The kids soaked up all of the experience, according to Silva.

“It was a neat experience for the boys,” Silva said.

Silva met Moyer in 1996 when Silva took his two sons, Matt and Andrew,

a NBLL American League Majors All-Star this season, to New York.

The four took in a Yankees-Angels game as Fred Silva recalled, and

stayed at the same hotel American League teams stay at. Moyer and the

rest of the Mariners checked-in for their series against the Yankees.

Silva bought baseballs so Matt and Andrew could get autographs, and gave

one to Matt as Fred went sightseeing.

Matt Silva came back with a ball signed and the three went to lunch at

the Mickey Mantle Restaurant near Central Park.

While at the restaurant Andrew and Matt spotted Moyer and ran to tell

their father.

“We had no idea who (Moyer) was,” Fred Silva said.

After the game that night, Silva and Moyer saw each other in the

hotel. Silva introduced himself to Moyer and the two have been friends

ever since, seeing each other four or five times a year, according to

Silva.

Moyer is in his 16th Major League season and has a lifetime record of

159-120 with a 4.16 ERA while amassing 1,444 strikeouts. This season he

is 8-3 with a 3.02 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 122 innings pitched. He has

thrown two complete games this season.

Silva credits Moyer with making Andrew want to be a pitcher.

“The reason (Andrew) became a pitcher is because of Jamie,” Fred Silva

said. “Andrew had just started T-ball, so he was kind of a hero for

(him).”

Andrew’s pension for giving batters little time to get ready in the

batter’s box can be attributed to Moyer’s influence, Fred Silva said.

“(Andrew) gets slowed down by the umpire a lot,” Fred Silva said.

“I’ve got to slow him down (sometimes).”