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83mph vs 87mph is still significant.
If the argument were that theres not much difference between say 80mph vs 76mph, than I'd agree. Somewhere around 81-82mph average seems to be the cut-off point. If Moyer can't be all that effective at that speed, no one can.
Koji Uehara averaged 87mph this year in the rotation and his peripherals are fantastic. You might say he gets by with great command and you'd be right, although he also has a tremendous fork/split. I really doubt he'd be anywhere NEAR as effective at 83mph.
Andy Sonnanstine was effective in '07 and particularly good in '08 with an 87mph fastball. Hes bombed in '09 with the decline in breaking stuff, but that just outlines how thin the line is for soft-tossers. Good command ya, but can you envision him having success with an 83mph fastball?
Marc Rzpecynski averages 88mph and has terrible command. Yet hes been successful thanks to fastball movement, offspeed stuff and deception. Great K/9, GBs, Ks.