Moore Love

Let it be soon, don't hesitate 
Make it now, don't wait 
Open your heart & let my love come in 
I want the moment to start when I can fill your heart with... 

I'm not sure whether it was Tampa Raytion or Matt Moore, but I could have sworn I heard someone singing the great Smokey Robinson hit, More Love or as they now call it "Moore Love."

Moore, like he has been in his six starts since June 20, was particularly brilliant last night.

More love, more joy 
Than age or time could ever destroy 
My love will be so sound 
It would take about 100 lifetimes 
To live it down, wear it down, tear it down 

Moore tossed only the 10th complete game shutout by a visitor at Fenway since 2000, and only the eighth that went nine innings

Rk	Player	Date	Tm	Rslt	App,Dec	IP	H	BB	SO	Pit	Str	GSc
1	Matt Moore	2013-07-22	TBR	W 3-0	SHO9 ,W	9.0	2	1	4	109	74	86
2	Bartolo Colon	2013-04-23	OAK	W 13-0	SHO7 ,W	7.0	3	1	7	94	67	77
3	Roy Halladay	2009-09-30	TOR	W 12-0	SHO9 ,W	9.0	3	2	6	100	68	85
4	Brett Anderson	2009-07-06	OAK	W 6-0	SHO9 ,W	9.0	2	2	9	111	73	90
5	Felix Hernandez	2007-04-11	SEA	W 3-0	SHO9 ,W	9.0	1	2	6	111	69	89
6	Kameron Loe	2006-05-12	TEX	W 6-0	SHO5 ,W	5.0	5	1	4	82	49	60
7	Mike Mussina	2002-08-28	NYY	W 7-0	SHO9 ,W	9.0	3	1	9	103	72	89
8	Mike Mussina	2001-09-02	NYY	W 1-0	SHO9 ,W	9.0	1	0	13	116	85	98
9	James Baldwin	2000-05-09	CHW	W 6-0	SHO9 ,W	9.0	3	1	8	102	71	88
10	Steve Trachsel	2000-05-06	TBD	W 1-0	SHO9 ,W	9.0	3	3	11	132	75	89

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 7/23/2013.

This is no fiction, this is no act 
This is real, it's a fact 
I'll always belong only to you 
Each day I'll be living to make sure I'm giving you... 

Since June 20

• Moore is 6-0 with a 1.50 ERA.
• Batters are just htting .143 against Moore.
• Lefties are hitting .146, righties .141.
• He's thrown 640 pitches, 398 for strikes.
• Batters have swung at 281 pitches (43.9%) and missed on 84 (29.9%).
• He's allowed 20 hits: 17 singles and three doubles.
• He's struck out 44 and walked 17.
• He's thrown 396 fastballs (61.9%) and batters are hitting .175.
• He's thrown 137 changeups (21.4%) and batters are hitting .104.
• He's thrown 107 sliders (16.7%) and batters are hitting .138.

More love, more joy 
Than age or time could ever destroy 
My love will be so sound 
It would take about 100 lifetimes 
To live it down, wear it down, tear it down 

It was scary for three games

Moore was 8-0 and then tossed a couple of no-decisions and then came three very scary games for the Rays love affair with Matt. 

• From June 4 to 14, Moore went 0-3 with a 13.86 ERA.
• Batters hit .448 against him, .444 against his fastball, .438 against the change-up, and .467 against the slider.
• He threw 61.5% fastballs, 24.5% change-ups, 14% sliders, very close to what he has thrown during the hot streak. 

So, what's the difference?

This is no fiction, this is no act 
This is real, it's a fact 
I'll always belong only to you 
Each day I'll be living to make sure I'm giving you... 

You can see it by looking at the two heat maps and if you need further explanation, go see a realtor who can give you the best answer: Location, Location, Location.

So, what have we learned?

The bigger question to be answered is what has Moore learned?

It wasn't a difference in pitch speed:

• During the slump Moore averaged a velocity of 88.4. His fastball was 92.1, his change was 83.9, his slider was 79.9.
• During the hot streak, Moore has averaged a velocity of 88.8. His fastball was 92.7, his change was 83.8, his slider was 80.9.

As we grow older no need to fear 
When you need me I'll be here 
I'll be beside you every step of the way 
A heart that's truthful & keeping you youthful with... 

Moore has shown that at 24 years old, he is capable of making the necessary adjustments to his mechanics, to his psyche, to his performance, to succeed and he has done in mid-season. 

This is not to say that there won't be bumps on the road, but there is no question that Matt Moore is 14-3 and ready to go the distance not in just in games, but in the last months of the season, and undoubtedly in the postseason as well.

Listen to the Rays and their fans sing:

Moore love, moore joy 
Than age or time could ever destroy