Roy Halladay is no longer a Toronto Blue Jay.
I should have written about this yesterday, but the deal hadn’t yet been confirmed, and I still held a glimmer of hope that Halladay’s agent wouldn’t be able to negotiate a contract extension and the deal would fall through.
Obviously, that was not the case. I don’t want to turn today’s column into a dissection of the deal (although, I am shocked that the Jays were unable to get ONE major league ready player in exchange for the best pitcher in baseball). Instead, this is a tribute to Roy: the greatest pitcher in Toronto Blue Jays history.
What can I say about Roy Halladay? Here’s what I wrote about him back in July:
He has been nothing short of amazing during his 10 or so years with the Jays’ organization. Halladay is a consummate professional, a warrior on the mound and has been a terrific ambassador for city of Toronto.
He has taken the ball every five days, pitched in front of shit teams, mediocre teams and decent teams without ever once complaining about a lack of run support. The guy throws over 200 innings a year and has been invaluable in showing Jays’ prospects how to properly prepare for a start and hone their craft.
That’s the thing about Roy. Not only is he a great pitcher, but he is a throwback to a different era, when players were tough and pitchers finished what they started. Pitchers are given a bad rap these days--described as self-absorbed, injury prone, prima donnas who care more about personal stats and money, rather than winning games.
Doc wants to win, period. I can’t wait to see him pitch in meaningful games in September and October. Baseball fans were impressed with the playoff performances of Cliff Lee? They haven’t seen anything yet. Halladay will throw gems on three days rest the entire postseason if he has to.
I have always thought of myself as a Jays fans, but this trade has me seriously questioning my loyalty. Halladay has far and away been my favourite Jay over the last decade. He’s my favourite pitcher to watch in all of baseball. I planned my social calendar around his starts.
Who am I supposed to cheer for now? Vernon Wells? Lyle Overbay? Ricky Romero? Dear God.
Most Toronto fans are glad he’s out of the division. Me, I wish he was still in the American League, so I could watch him pitch more often.
I’ll watch the Jays this year, but I don’t know if I’ll live and die with the games as I’ve done before. However, I guarantee I’ll be constantly checking for Phillies updates all summer long.
Honestly, I think Doc was underappreciated by Toronto baseball fans. He isn’t flashy and didn’t ring up gaudy strikeout totals, and he was always somewhat guarded in interviews. He doesn’t have a sparkling personality and I think some people had a hard time relating to him.
Halladay doesn’t play baseball to provide pithy quotes. He plays because he loves the game and he possesses a mastery of his craft that was truly a treat to watch every fifth day. As a pitcher myself, it was an honour watching Roy attack hitters, make guys hit his pitches and have complete command of the strikezone.
Doc personifies everything a pitcher should strive to be and more.
I have nothing to more say about him, as words cannot accurately describe what Roy Halladay meant to me as a baseball fan. Therefore, once again, allow Tina Turner to take over for me.
Roy Halladay. Simply the best.
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1 comment:
it really is a bleak future for jays fans when you consider the fact that every single player to henceforth don the blue and white for the foreseeable future will be a shittier player than the one we just traded away. my fanship now relies upon three things to survive - aaron hill, adam lind and the uncouth volumes of beer needed to drown my lament.
consolation comes in the fact that it's a team game - and with 25 spots on the roster, i'm sure the jays can scrape together the assclowns they'd need to match the level of man the doctor brought to the clubhouse.
he is hands down my favourite baseball player. but if you love someone, you have to let them go because you want what's best for them. like all those ladies tewks has passed up because, in his heart of hearts, he knew they were better than him. or because he was too drunk and couldn't get it up. lightweight.
roy halladay deserves better than the blue jays, and he's going to get it in philadelphia. the NL east is a much weaker battlefield than the AL east, and with more run support, 25 wins in a healthy season is an easy target.
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