Early Seventies Mets Pitching Prospect: Tommy Moore (1972-1973)

Tommy Joe Moore was born on July 7, 1948 at Lynwood, California. The five foot eleven right hander was drafted out of high school, by the New York Mets in 1967, in the 10th round. After a 3-8 season at A ball Pompano Beach in 1970, he won eleven games going 11-10 at AA Memphis in 1971. He was second on the staff to John Glass in wins, while posting a 3.20 ERA. He appeared in a few early 1970s Met yearbooks as a top pitching prospect, but he never quite made it out of the year book pages. It was tough to crack the Mets staff of the early seventies, and Moore only saw limited action at the big league level.

In 1972 he was 11-5 with a 2.80 ERA at AAA Tidewater, second to only Harry Parker on the Tides staff, earning himself a September call up. He made his debut at Wrigley Field in Chicago, where he was roughed up for three runs, in three innings of work. His best career outing came on October 2nd, at Jary Park in Montreal. He started the game, pitching seven innings, allowing just one run on eight hits. Moore got no decision, as the Mets would win the game with a run in the top of the 9th inning. On the season in three games he was 0-1 with a 2.92 ERA & five strike outs in 12 innings of work.

In 1973 he got called up in May to help an injured pitching staff & was issued Gary Gentry’s old uniform #39. He pitched two scoreless innings over two games in relief but was then hit hard at Candlestick Park, by the San Francisco Giants. He was given the start but never got out of the second inning, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits & two walks. It put his ERA at a whopping 10.80, and he was sent back down to Tidewater.

He spent 1974 there going 7-12, and then became involved in a big trade that October. Moore was sent to the St. Louis Cardinals along with Ray Sadecki in exchange for Joe Torre. Torre had been sought after by the Mets for years & he was now returning home to his native Brooklyn area. Moore pitched ten games in relief for the Cardinals, and then moved on to the Texas Rangers.

In 1977 he resurfaced with the expansion Seattle Mariner team, going 2-1 in 14 games with a 4.91 ERA. He pitched in the Orioles organization through 1977 finishing up his career. In four MLB seasons he made 42 appearances going 2-4 with 40 strike outs, 40 walks & a 5.40 ERA in 88 innings pitched