Dustin Moseley still hurt when he ran in early January, still had not yet climbed up on a mound since undergoing August 2009 hip surgery similar to the kind Alex Rodriguez endured last year.
He was being shunned by the industry, told by 29 teams that he had to at least throw a few bullpen sessions to even earn consideration for a minor-league contract and an invite to a major-league camp. Just one club was offering that combination without Moseley having to audition.
The Yankees had positive reports on Moseley dating to his 2000 draft year all the way through 2008, and felt it was enough to at least bring him to camp on a flyer.
But consider the distance from that moment to last night, the improbability that a guy who could not run without agony in January would be subduing the Red Sox on national TV late in a pennant race. Perhaps the committee that believed that was possible was comprised of one person.
“You always dream,” Moseley said. “You have to dream.”
And that is what last night must have felt like as he headed toward the dugout, nearly 50,000 fans standing and cheering. Moseley had just thrown 61⁄3 winning innings at the Red Sox, entered The Rivalry with calm and precision. He touched the index finger to his cap, acknowledging the appreciation, saluting back at the end of a night perhaps only he could have seen coming.
“I would go home every night in spring training and dream of something like this,” he said, standing in front of his locker after the Yankees subdued the Red Sox 7-2.
Moseley is 28. A baseball life ago he was a legit prospect. But then came elbow surgery in ‘07, the hip surgery last year, a non-tender from the Angels in December, free agency when just about no team had any interest, worse pain in his hip three months post-surgery than before, just one time up on a bullpen mound before he joined the Yankees in February.
But in spring training he dropped a calling card. Suddenly he was able to run and, more important, pitch. The decision-makers noticed a clean delivery, command to both sides of the plate, that Moseley had an idea how to read bats and set up hitters. He learned a feel for a cutter, a weapon to keep hitters off his sinker. Moseley went to Triple-A, dropped a few more calling cards. Put himself on the radar.
The perception is that the Yanks answer every problem with their checkbook. But in recent years they have given underdogs chances. Aaron Small in 2005. Darrell Rasner and Dan Giese in 2007. Last year, they found the deadline price for Seattle’s Jarrod Washburn unbecoming and obtained Chad Gaudin in August. Gaudin made six starts, pitched to a 3.19 ERA, the Yanks won all six games.
This year, with Andy Pettitte on the DL, the Yanks again contemplated a deadline trade for a starter, again scoffed at the prices. Their first replacement choice was Sergio Mitre, but that didn’t work, so they turned to Moseley in an emergency, as they would do again last night.
A.J. Burnett felt back pain Saturday. Pitching coach Dave Eiland told Moseley he was going to start. That was fine with Moseley. He was scheduled for today’s matinee, and he said most of his friends and family back in Arkansas did not have a baseball package to watch that start, but did have ESPN for last night. His wife sent out a mass text message to tune in. And Moseley did not disappoint his audience.
He outpitched Josh Beckett, showing no tremble on this stage. He executed the cutters and sinkers to both sides of the plate, improving to 2-1 with a 3.66 ERA in his three starts. Pettitte is getting close to returning, due to make a minor-league rehab start a week from tomorrow.
So maybe this magic ride is nearing an end. If so, Moseley can enjoy these moments that no one could have envisioned in January. And maybe there are still more to come. If Moseley has learned nothing else, it is to keep dreaming big.
joel.sherman@nypost.com