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Roy Halladay
Toronto Blue Jays – No. 32
Starting Pitcher
Bats: RightThrows: Right
debut
September 20, 1998, for the Toronto Blue Jays
Career statistics (through September 27, 2008)
Win–Loss	131–66
Earned run average	3.52
Strikeouts	1294
Stats at Baseball Reference
Teams
Toronto Blue Jays (1998–present)
Career highlights and awards
5x All-Star selection (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008) 2003 AL Cy Young Award 2003 AL TSN Pitcher of the Year Lead AL in WHIP (1.05), Complete Games (9), and Innings Pitched (246.0) in 2008

Harry Leroy Halladay III (born May 14, 1977), usually referred to as Roy or his nickname Doc, is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays. His nickname is a reference to the famous Arizona gunslinger, "Doc" Holliday. He was the Blue Jays' first draft selection, and 17th overall pick, in the 1995 Major League Baseball Draft, and has played for the team since 1998.

His outstanding stamina and control, along with devastating movements on an already impressive arsenal, has seen Halladay counted among the best starting pitchers in the MLB since 2001.

Early life

Born in Denver, Colorado, Halladay grew up in the suburb of Arvada; his father flew planes for a food processing company while his mother was a homemaker. From an early age, Halladay loved baseball, trying every position on the field until, by age 14, his success on the pitcher’s mound attracted the attention of major league scouts. In 1995, after graduating from Arvada West High School, he was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the amateur draft. Six seasons in the minors later, the strapping right-hander made the team and immediately proved his worth.

Career

1998

In his second career start, against the Detroit Tigers on September 27, 1998, Halladay had what would have been the third no-hitter ever pitched on the final day of a regular season broken up with two out in the ninth. The feat would have joined the combined no-hitter by four Oakland Athletics pitchers (Vida Blue, Glenn Abbott, Paul Lindblad and Rollie Fingers) in 1975 and Mike Witt's perfect game in 1984. The bid was broken up by a Bobby Higginson solo home run. The home run was the only hit Halladay would allow in a 2–1 Blue Jays victory, as he notched his first major league win. Incidentally, the home run ball was caught in the bullpen by Blue Jays pitcher Dave Stieb, who had lost three no-hitters with two out in the ninth inning, before finally registering the only Blue Jays no-hitter in 1990. (This was also Stieb's very last game as a member of a major league roster.)

2000-2001

During the 2000 season, Halladay sported a 10.64 ERA in 19 games, 13 of which he started. At the beginning of the 2001 season, Halladay was optioned to Class A Dunedin Blue Jays to rebuild his delivery.

Halladay's fastball was clocked up to 95mph but it had little movement and his pitches were up in the strike zone, which was ultimately the reason why his 2000 season was so unsuccessful. He worked with former Blue Jays pitching coach Mel Queen. The problem, Queen realized, was Halladay’s total reliance on his strength—his attempt to overpower batters with straight-ahead pitches. Within two weeks, Halladay had altered his arm angle for a more deceptive delivery, and added pitches that sank and careened. Instead of throwing over the top, he chose to use a three-quarters sidearm delivery (the middle point between throwing overhand and sidearm). Originally a fastball pitcher, he became reliant on keeping his pitches low across the plate, regardless of the type of pitch thrown. The adjustments proved successful. After a month and a half, he was promoted to class AA Tennessee, and a month later, to class AAA Syracuse. By mid-season, he was back in the Blue Jays’ rotation. He posted a 5–3 record with a 3.19 ERA for the Blue Jays in 16 starts in 2001.

2002

In 2002, Halladay had a breakout season, finishing with a 19-7 record, while posting a 2.93 ERA with 168 strikeouts in 239.1 innings. Halladay was named to the 2002 All-Star team. His 19 wins were the most by a Blue Jay since David Wells won 20 in 2000.

2003

Halladay continued his success in the 2003 season, posting a 22–7 record with a 3.25 ERA in 266.0 innings. He also recorded 204 strikeouts and only 32 walks, good for a remarkable 6.38 strikeouts per walk ratio. He won the American League Cy Young Award in 2003, while being once again named an All-Star, and leading the Blue Jays to a surprising 86 victories.

2004

In 2004, Halladay was placed on the DL twice due to right shoulder problems. In just 133.0 innings, he went 8–8 with a 4.20 ERA. He walked 39 batters, seven more than he had walked in 2003, when he pitched twice as many innings.

2005

The 2005 season began successfully for Halladay, as he proved to be one of the best pitchers in the American League by going 12–4 with a 2.41 ERA in 19 starts. A favorite to win his second Cy Young award, he was selected to his third All-Star team and was slated to be the starting pitcher for the American League at the All-Star Game in Detroit. However, on July 8, Halladay's leg was broken by a line drive off the bat of Texas Rangers left fielder Kevin Mench (now an ex-Blue Jay). As a result, he was replaced in the All-Star Game by Matt Clement of the Boston Red Sox, while Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox was named as the starting pitcher for the American League. Despite rehabilitation of his leg, Halladay would sit out the remainder of the season.

2006

On March 16, 2006, Halladay signed a $40 million, 3-year contract that will keep him with the club through 2010.

During 2006, Halladay finished near the top of the MLB in wins with 16. He was named to the American League All-Star Team as a reserve on July 3, 2006, along with four of his Blue Jays teammates. It marked the second-most appearances in club history, and Halladay's fourth as an All-Star. Although Halladay's strikeout total was lower in 2006 than in previous seasons, his groundball-to-flyball ratio, complete games, and innings pitched were all among the American League leaders.

2007

Halladay was the American league pitcher of the month in April, going 4–0, highlighted by a 10-inning complete game win over the Detroit Tigers. However, he pitched poorly in his two starts in May, and on May 11 was placed on the disabled list and underwent an appendectomy. He returned to the rotation in his usual form on May 31 against the Chicago White Sox. Halladay went 7 innings, giving up just six hits and allowing no runs on his way to his 100th career win. 2007 also saw Halladay drive in his first career RBI. Against the LA Dodgers on June 10, his ground ball single to center field allowed John McDonald to score. He shut out the Seattle Mariners on July 22, allowing only three hits.

2008

For the sixth consecutive year, Halladay was Toronto's opening day starter, beating his own previous club record of five. He lost 3–2 in a pitcher's duel with New York's Chien-Ming Wang. His first win of the season came in his next start against Boston, when he outpitched Josh Beckett in his season debut. In his third start of the season, Halladay pitched a complete game against the Texas Rangers, in a 4–1 win. Three of his nine complete game efforts resulted in losses due to Toronto's underachieving offense early in the season. On June 20 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Halladay was struck in the temple by a line-drive off the bat of Nyjer Morgan. The ball caromed off Halladay's head and was caught by third baseman Scott Rolen, ending the inning. Halladay was able to walk back to the dugout but was taken out of the game for safety concerns. Although he was given a clean bill of health for his next start, it was later suggested by television commentators that Halladay may have in fact suffered a temporary lapse in recognition of what happened on the play. Halladay pitched his 10th career shutout against the Seattle Mariners on June 30. He limited them to four hits in his sixth complete game of the season. The shutout ties him with the Cardinals' Mark Mulder for 10th among active pitchers. On July 11, 2008, Halladay pitched his 7th CG and 2nd shutout of the season against the New York Yankees allowing 0 runs on 2 hits for his 38th career CG. Halladay was named to the American League All-Star Team as a reserve. He pitched in the fourth inning, yielding only one hit and striking out Lance Berkman. In his last start of the season, he fittingly pitched a complete game against the Yankees to win his 20th game of the year. In so doing, he became the first pitcher to win five games against the Yankees in a single season since Luis Tiant in 1974. In addition, he led the AL with a 1.05 WHIP (Walks plus Hits divided by Innings Pitched). Halladay finished second in the 2008 American League Cy Young Award voting, behind Cliff Lee of the Indians. He also led the AL with 9 CG's, and struck out a career-high 206 batters (2 more than his 2003 season) as well as post a 2.78 ERA (the second-best of his career) and was second only to Cliff Lee's 2.54 ERA.

Scouting Report

Over the past several seasons, Roy Halladay adjusted his approach to that of a ground ball pitcher with a good strikeout-to-walk ratio. This approach helped to keep his pitch count down (he regularly features among the league leaders in this category) so as to avoid fatigue later in the season. Nevertheless, he threw over 200 strikeouts in the 2008 season and ranked amongst AL leaders in that category, along with Ervin Santana and teammate A.J. Burnett. Halladay's arsenal includes a four-seam fastball which he can throw in the mid 90s, a two-seam (sinking) fastball which he throws at 92-94 MPH, a curveball which he throws around 77 MPH, a cutter which he throws at 90-92 MPH, and a changeup, which he added in 2006. He generally can use any of these pitches in any count, which serves to make him even more effective, and keeps hitters off pace.

In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Halladay noted that overusing his cutter in 2006 caused some discomfort towards the end of the season, and that he planned to throw more sinkers in 2007 to avoid further pain or stiffness. In 2007, Halladay regained confidence in his cutter, crediting his catcher Sal Fasano for suggesting a grip change. On the Fox telecast of the 2008 MLB All Star Game, Halladay was seen, along with Scott Kazmir, observing the grip of the cutter of New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera and, perhaps, figuring out another way of further improving his cutter.

In addition, Roy Halladay pitches at an efficient pace in order to make his pitches more effective in keeping hitters guessing. Halladay also credits his quick, work-like pace as his best way to keep himself focused, as well as to reduce swelling/stiffness throughout the course of the two plus hour game.

Trivia

• Halladay also pitched the first extra-inning shutout in the major leagues since Jack Morris in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series, leading the Blue Jays to victory over the Tigers on September 6, 2003. He pitched 10 innings and had not allowed a hit until Kevin Witt doubled with two outs in the top of the eighth. Halladay pitched another 10 inning game against the Tigers on April 14, 2007 in a 2–1 Blue Jays win. Detroit reliever Fernando Rodney took the loss in both games.

• In an interview with Politico.com, President George W. Bush claimed that, if given the choice, Roy Halladay would be the pitcher he would build a team around, stating, "Roy Halladay from the Toronto Blue Jays is a great pitcher. He's a steady guy, he burns up innings."

• Before and during every one of his starts until he is relieved, Halladay has a distinct trademark in which he goes into a complete "isolation mode", immersing himself in complete concentration and in more or less his own words: To try and plan every pitch he would pitch while on the mound. During this time, he doesn't talk to anyone, not even to reply to a "hello" or wave for that matter, not unless he's been relieved or he completes a game.

• Halladay is married with two children.

Career highlights

• 5-time MLB All-Star: 2002, 2003, 2005 (was supposed to start but was sidelined with a season-ending injury), 2006 and 2008.
• American League Cy Young Award: 2003
• The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year: 2003
• Players Choice Awards (Most Outstanding Pitcher): 2003
• 2 time AL player of the week:
• 3 time AL pitcher of the month: May 2003, September 2003, April 2007.
• Toronto Blue Jays Career Leader in Win–Loss percentage (.670)
• Only Blue Jays pitcher to earn two base hits in one regular season game (vs. Los Angeles Dodgers on June 10, 2007)
• From 2002-2008, Halladay has a .698 winning percentage, 113 Wins, 9 shutouts, 37 Compete games, and 7.14 Innings Per Start, all of which are best in the American League in that time frame.

See also

• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
• List of Major League Baseball wins champions
• Roy Halladay News

References

1. ^ "Roy Halladay Biography". MLB. Toronto Blue Jays. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
2. http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20080711&content_id=3113777&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor Derek Jeter on Halladay
3. http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=hallaro01 Baseball Almanac reference to Halladay
4. Arm Force: Roy Halladay - Toronto Life
5. Innings-eater Halladay gives Jays bullpen holiday - USATODAY.com
6. Roy Halladay - Toronto Blue Jays - News - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
7. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3700686
8. Halladay tinkering with new pitch
9. Halladay changing grip on cutter

External links

• Career statistics from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs

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• 1977 births
• Living people
• Major League Baseball players from Colorado
• People from Denver, Colorado
• Major League Baseball pitchers
• Toronto Blue Jays players
• Cy Young Award winners
• American League All-Stars
• American League wins champions
• Toronto Blue Jays 1st round picks