Roy Halladay
Encyclopedia
Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III (born May 14, 1977), nicknamed "Doc", is a Major League Baseball
starting pitcher
for the Philadelphia Phillies
. His nickname, coined by the late Toronto Blue Jays
announcer Tom Cheek
, is a reference to Wild West gunslinger "Doc" Holliday
.
He was the Blue Jays' first draft selection in the 1995 Major League Baseball Draft
, the 17th pick overall, and played for the team from 1998 through 2009, after which he was traded to Philadelphia. Halladay is known for his ability to pitch deep into games effectively, and he is currently the active major league leader in complete games with 66, including 20 shutouts.
On May 29, 2010, Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game
in MLB history, beating the Florida Marlins
by a score of 1–0. On October 6, 2010, in his first post-season start, Halladay threw the second no-hitter
in MLB postseason
history (Don Larsen
's perfect game in the 1956 World Series
being the first) against the Cincinnati Reds
in Game 1 of the 2010 NLDS
. It was his second no-hitter of the year (following the May 29 perfect game), making Halladay the fifth pitcher in major league history (and the first since Nolan Ryan
in 1973) to throw multiple no-hitters in the same season. Halladay has won two Cy Young Awards, in 2003 and 2010.
, he grew up in the suburb of Arvada
; his father was a pilot 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. By the age of 13, he had begun training with legendary Colorado baseball guru Bus Campbell, who had helped almost every promising pitcher from the Denver area, including Goose Gossage
and Brad Lidge
.
In 1995, after graduating from Arvada West High School
, he was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the amateur draft, in the first round, as the 17th overall pick. He was promoted to the major-league club as a September call-up in 1998.
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 outs 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 recorded his first major league win. The game was completed in 1 hour 45 minutes.
During the 2000 season, Halladay sported a 10.64 earned run average
(ERA) in 19 games, 13 of which he started, making his 2000 season the worst in history for any pitcher with at least 50 innings pitched
. At the beginning of the season, Halladay was optioned to Class A Dunedin Blue Jays
to rebuild his delivery.
Halladay's fastball was clocked up to 95 miles per hour (152.9 km/h), 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 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 win–loss record with a 3.19 ERA for the Blue Jays in 16 starts in 2001.
team. His 19 wins were the most by a Blue Jay since David Wells
won 20 in 2000.
Halladay continued his success in the 2003 season, posting a 22–7 record with a 3.25 ERA in 266 innings. He also recorded 204 strikeouts and only 32 walks, good for a 6.38 strikeouts-per-walk ratio. Halladay 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. He pitched 10 innings and had not allowed a hit until Kevin Witt
doubled with two outs in the top of the eighth. Halladay won the American League Cy Young Award
, while being once again named an All-Star and leading the Blue Jays to a surprising 86 victories. He was named by his peers as the Players Choice Award
s AL Outstanding Pitcher. He was also named the Sporting News AL Pitcher of the Year
and the Baseball Prospectus Internet Baseball Awards
AL Cy Young award winner.
In 2004, Halladay was placed on the disabled list
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 had pitched twice as many innings. He later revealed that he had been injured throughout the entire season with a "tired throwing arm", which he believed was from intense workouts in preseason.
The 2005 season began successfully for Halladay, as he posted a 12–4 record with a 2.41 ERA in 19 starts. 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
. 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 the starting pitcher for the American League. Despite rehabilitation of his leg, Halladay would sit out the remainder of the season.
On March 16, 2006, Halladay signed a 40 million, three year contract extension that would last through . During that year, 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, 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.
in April 2007, 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 hit 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.
In 2008, for the sixth consecutive year, Halladay was Toronto's opening-day starter, improving his own club record. 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, 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. In fact, those three complete game losses came in three consecutive starts. 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 tied him with the Cardinals' Mark Mulder
for 10th among active pitchers. On July 11, 2008, Halladay pitched his 7th complete game and second shutout of the season against the New York Yankees, allowing 0 runs on 2 hits for his 38th career complete game. 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
. 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 complete games, and struck out a career-high 206 batters (two more than his 2003 season) as well as posted a 2.78 ERA (the second-best of his career) that was second only to Cliff Lee's
2.54 ERA. Halladay also became just the fourth pitcher in major league history to post two seasons of 200 strikeouts and fewer than 40 walks. He was presented the George Gross/Toronto Sun
Sportsperson of the Year award.
On April 6, 2009, Halladay made his team-record seventh straight Opening Day start for Toronto, defeating the Detroit Tigers
. Halladay then also won his next two starts, on the road against the Cleveland Indians
and the Minnesota Twins
. Halladay would lose his next game to the Rangers giving up 5 earned runs over 8 innings only to go on and win his next 6 games to bring his record up to 8–1 with a 2.75 ERA. With season-ending injuries to planned 2009 Jays' starters Dustin McGowan
and Shawn Marcum, and with #2 starter Jesse Litsch
on the disabled list early in the season, Halladay led a staff of young, mostly inexperienced starters. Halladay was named the AL Player of the Week for the period ending May 17. Doc was 2–0 with a 1.13 ERA over 16.0 innings in his two starts the week prior. In a game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
on June 2, Halladay struck out 14 batters and threw 133 pitches, both career highs. On June 12, he left the game early because of a strained hip adductor muscle
, commonly referred to as a pulled groin, and was placed on the 15-day disabled list
on June 17. On July 5, he was selected to represent Toronto at the All-Star Game
. On July 14, he started the All-Star Game for the American League, pitching 2 innings and giving up 3 runs, of which 1 was unearned. That year, he was named #7 on the Sporting News list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball. A panel of 100 baseball people, many of them members of the Baseball Hall of Fame and winners of major baseball awards, was polled to arrive at the list.
As of the conclusion of his start on September 20, 2009, Halladay was tied for the second-longest streak in the American League that season with a 24-inning scoreless streak. Halladay finished the season with a 17–10 record, giving him a career win percentage of .660, good enough for 18th all-time. In December, Sports Illustrated
named Halladay as one of the five pitchers in the starting rotation of its MLB All-Decade Team.
for minor league prospects Travis D'Arnaud, Kyle Drabek
, and Michael Taylor
. He agreed to a contract extension worth US$60 million that includes a US$20 million vesting option for a fourth season.
, Halladay pitched seven innings while giving up a run against the Washington Nationals
in his first game with the Phillies. He had nine strikeouts and allowed six hits. He also drove in his second career RBI and earned his first win of the season. He followed this start with a complete game on April 11 against the Houston Astros
, giving up one unearned run while striking out eight and not giving up any walks in the Phillies' 2–1 victory.
Halladay pitched his first shutout in the National League, against the Atlanta Braves
on April 21, becoming the first pitcher to reach four wins in the 2010 season. On May 1, Halladay pitched his second shutout of the season, limiting the New York Mets
to three hits and striking out six.
On September 21, Halladay became the first Phillies pitcher to win 20 games in a season since Steve Carlton accomplished it in 1982. He was the first right-handed Phillies pitcher to accomplish the feat since Robin Roberts in 1955. One week later, on September 27, he completed his 21st victory, helping the Phillies clinch their fourth consecutive National League East title.
Halladay was named by his peers as the Players Choice Award
s NL Outstanding Pitcher. He was also unanimously chosen as the recipient of the 2010 National League Cy Young Award
, becoming the first Phillie to win the award since Steve Bedrosian
in 1987 and only the fifth pitcher in MLB history to win the award in both leagues, joining Gaylord Perry
, Pedro Martínez
, Randy Johnson
and Roger Clemens
. He was likewise selected as the Sporting News NL Pitcher of the Year
, the USA Today NL Cy Young, and the Baseball Prospectus Internet Baseball Awards
NL Cy Young. He also was named the MLB "This Year in Baseball Awards"
Starting Pitcher of the Year. Baseball America named him its Major League Player of the Year
(including all positions in both leagues). MLB named him its "MLB Clutch Performer of the Year". He was given the Heart & Hustle Award
by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association. He was also named Pro Athlete of the Year by both the Sporting News and the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association
and Sportsperson of the Year by the Philadelphia Daily News. The Philadelphia chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America presented him the "Steve Carlton Most Valuable Pitcher" and "Dallas Green Special Achievement" awards.
In innings pitched, Halladay finished the 2010 regular season with a 21–10 record and a 2.44 ERA, setting a career high with 219 strikeouts while issuing just 30 walks. He led the National league in wins, innings pitched, with 9 complete games including 4 shutouts. He became just the seventh pitcher in the history of Major League baseball to pitch 250 or more innings with 30 or fewer walks, the first pitcher to do so since Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1923 with the Chicago Cubs.
On May 29, Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game
in MLB history, against the Florida Marlins
in Miami, retiring all 27 batters and striking out 11, allowing no hits, runs, walks, or errors. This was the first time in the modern era that two pitchers (Dallas Braden
of the Oakland A's and Halladay) had thrown perfect games in the same month and that multiple perfect games had been achieved in the same season. When Halladay's former manager, Cito Gaston
, called to congratulate him, Halladay was unable to take the call because he was busy with the post-game media frenzy. On August 24, 2010, to commemorate his perfect game, Halladay presented around 60 Swiss-made Baume and Mercier
watches he had purchased to everyone in the clubhouse. The watches were presented in brown boxes that bore the inscription: "We did it together. Thanks, Roy Halladay." Additionally, the back of each watch was engraved with the date of the game, the line score, and the individual recipient's name.
On October 6, 2010, in his first postseason appearance, Halladay pitched a no-hitter
(his second of the season), against the Cincinnati Reds
in the first game of the National League Division Series
(NLDS). He became the second player ever to pitch a no-hitter in the postseason, joining Don Larsen
of the 1956 New York Yankees
, who pitched a perfect game
in the World Series
. He also became the first pitcher since Nolan Ryan
in 1973 to throw two no-hitters in a season, as well as the seventh pitcher to hurl both a perfect game and a regular no-hitter in his career, joining Cy Young
, Addie Joss
, Jim Bunning
, Sandy Koufax
, Randy Johnson
and Mark Buehrle
. Halladay allowed just one walk to right fielder
Jay Bruce
with two outs in the fifth inning, and faced just one batter above the minimum 27. This also marked the first time in Major League history that a pitcher threw a perfect game and a no-hitter in the same season. The fans voted his no-hitter as the "This Year in Baseball Awards" Postseason Moment of the Year.
in all four games. Halladay took a two-hitter into the ninth before allowing three straight singles. He allowed just one run and won, 3–1.
In May, Halladay was named the 2011 winner of the John Wanamaker
Athletic Award, by the Philadelphia Sports Congress, based on his 2010 season.
In June, Halladay was presented the Best Major League Baseball Player ESPY Award
, for his performance since June 2010.
On July 12, Halladay was the NL starting pitcher in the All-Star Game
.
Halladay went 19-6 in 2011, with a 2.35 ERA, and pitched 8 complete game
s, second most in the Majors. Halladay was named the game one and five starter as Philadelphia advanced to the NLDS to face the St. Louis Cardinals
. They lost in five games. He finished 2nd in NL Cy Young voting to Clayton Kershaw
of the Los Angeles Dodgers
. The change-up is one pitch that Halladay had problem commanding in the past, which he had used very rarely. But since joining the Phillies in 2010, Halladay started throwing a change-up pitch that is really a version of the split-finger fastball (called a split-change) that he uses as a strikeout pitch with the help of pitching coach Rich Dubee.
In spite of his reputation as a ground ball pitcher who works at an efficient pace, Halladay's strikeout totals have increased steadily in recent years as a result of his fastball velocity and his willingness to use his curveball and change-up in strikeout counts. Halladay's efficiency and durability are reflected in his total innings pitched every year, also due to his ability to strike out hitters in addition to induce ground ball outs to escape jams. He usually leads the league in innings pitched and complete games, while ranking among the leaders in WHIP and ERA.
Prior to and during each start, 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 plan every pitch he would pitch while on the mound. During this time, he does not talk to anyone except the manager or the pitching coach. He will not even reply to a "hello" or wave from a teammate or spectator, nor talk to the media until he has been relieved or he completes a game.
into "Doc's Box" at Rogers Centre during Blue Jays games. As part of his contract with the Blue Jays, he also donated US$100,000 each year to the Jays Care Foundation.
He was the Blue Jays' nominee numerous times for the Roberto Clemente Award
for his work with underprivileged children. For the same reason, he was also the Blue Jays' nominee in 2008 for the Players Choice Award
s Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award.
During the offseason, Halladay and his family live in Odessa, Florida
.
Halladay was announced by 2K Sports
as the cover athlete for Major League Baseball 2K11
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
for the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. His nickname, coined by the late Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
announcer Tom Cheek
Tom Cheek
Thomas F. Cheek was an American sportscaster.Best known as the "Voice of the Blue Jays", Tom announced Major League Baseball games for the Toronto Blue Jays on radio from the team's establishment in 1977 until his retirement in 2004, in which he had a 27-year consecutive game streak of 4,306...
, is a reference to Wild West gunslinger "Doc" Holliday
Doc Holliday
John Henry "Doc" Holliday was an American gambler, gunfighter and dentist of the American Old West, who is usually remembered for his friendship with Wyatt Earp and his involvement in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral...
.
He was the Blue Jays' first draft selection in the 1995 Major League Baseball Draft
1995 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1995 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign-Background:Outfielder Darin Erstad of the University of Nebraska was the first pick in the 1995 Rule 4 Draft. Erstad compiled a career .356 average in three seasons with the...
, the 17th pick overall, and played for the team from 1998 through 2009, after which he was traded to Philadelphia. Halladay is known for his ability to pitch deep into games effectively, and he is currently the active major league leader in complete games with 66, including 20 shutouts.
On May 29, 2010, Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game
Roy Halladay's perfect game
On May 29, 2010, Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched the twentieth perfect game in baseball history, against the Florida Marlins in Miami. He retired all 27 batters, striking out 11...
in MLB history, beating the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
by a score of 1–0. On October 6, 2010, in his first post-season start, Halladay threw the second no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
in MLB postseason
Major League Baseball postseason
The Major League Baseball postseason is an elimination tournament held after the conclusion of Major League Baseball's regular season. It consists of one best-of-five series and two best-of-seven series...
history (Don Larsen
Don Larsen
Donald James Larsen is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 15-year baseball career, he pitched from 1953-67 for seven different teams. Larsen is best known for pitching the sixth perfect game in baseball history, doing so in game 5 of the 1956 World Series...
's perfect game in the 1956 World Series
1956 World Series
The 1956 World Series of Major League Baseball was played between the New York Yankees and the defending champion Brooklyn Dodgers during the month of October 1956. The Series was a rematch of the 1955 World Series...
being the first) against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
in Game 1 of the 2010 NLDS
2010 National League Division Series
The 2010 National League Division Series were two best-of-five game series to determine the participating teams in the 2010 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners and a fourth team—a "Wild Card"—played in two series from October 6 to 11...
. It was his second no-hitter of the year (following the May 29 perfect game), making Halladay the fifth pitcher in major league history (and the first since Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
in 1973) to throw multiple no-hitters in the same season. Halladay has won two Cy Young Awards, in 2003 and 2010.
Early life
Born in Denver, ColoradoColorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, he grew up in the suburb of Arvada
Arvada, Colorado
The City of Arvada is a Home Rule Municipality located in Jefferson and Adams counties in the Denver metropolitan area of the U.S. State of Colorado. Olde Town Arvada is located northwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver...
; his father was a pilot for a food-processing company, while his mother was a homemaker
Homemaker
Homemaking is a mainly American term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping or household management...
. 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. By the age of 13, he had begun training with legendary Colorado baseball guru Bus Campbell, who had helped almost every promising pitcher from the Denver area, including Goose Gossage
Goose Gossage
Richard Michael "Goose" Gossage is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During a 22-year baseball career, he pitched from 1972-1994 for nine different teams, spending his best years with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. The nickname "Goose" is a play on his surname...
and Brad Lidge
Brad Lidge
Bradley Thomas "Brad" Lidge is a reliever who is currently a free agent. Nicknamed "Lights Out", he is the all-time leader in strikeouts per nine innings among pitchers with at least 200 appearances in their career...
.
In 1995, after graduating from Arvada West High School
Arvada West High School
Arvada West High School is a public secondary school in Arvada, Colorado. Opened in 1963, it is one of four high schools in Arvada.-History:Arvada West High School was contracted in 1961 and opened in 1963....
, he was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the amateur draft, in the first round, as the 17th overall pick. He was promoted to the major-league club as a September call-up in 1998.
1998–2001
In his second career start, against the Detroit TigersDetroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
on September 27, 1998, Halladay had what would have been the third no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
ever pitched on the final day of a regular season broken up with two outs in the ninth. The feat would have joined the combined no-hitter by four Oakland Athletics
1984 Oakland Athletics season
The Oakland Athletics' 1984 season involved the A's finishing 4th in the American League West with a record of 77 wins and 85 losses.- Offseason :* October 28, 1983: Joe Rudi was released by the Athletics....
pitchers (Vida Blue
Vida Blue
Vida Rochelle Blue Jr. is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 17-year career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics , San Francisco Giants , and Kansas City Royals He won the American League Cy Young award and Most Valuable Player Award in 1971...
, Glenn Abbott
Glenn Abbott
William Glenn Abbott is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During an 11-year baseball career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics , Seattle Mariners , and the Detroit Tigers...
, Paul Lindblad
Paul Lindblad
Paul Aaron Lindblad was an American Major League Baseball left-handed middle-relief pitcher. During his career, he pitched primarily for the Kansas City and Oakland Athletics. At the time of his retirement in , he had recorded the seventh-most appearances of any left-hander in history.Lindblad...
and Rollie Fingers
Rollie Fingers
Roland Glen Fingers is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. During his 18-year baseball career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics , San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers . He became only the second reliever to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992...
) in 1975 and Mike Witt
Mike Witt
Michael Atwater "Mike" Witt is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.At just twenty years of age, Witt made his major league debut with the California Angels in 1981. Standing 6 feet, 7 inches tall and possessing a great curveball as well as a good fastball, Witt's breakout season came in...
's perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
in 1984. The bid was broken up by a Bobby Higginson
Bobby Higginson
Robert Leigh Higginson is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Detroit Tigers. He has a career batting average of .272. He attended Frankford High School and Temple University....
solo home run. The home run was the only hit Halladay would allow in a 2–1 Blue Jays victory, as he recorded his first major league win. The game was completed in 1 hour 45 minutes.
During the 2000 season, Halladay sported a 10.64 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
(ERA) in 19 games, 13 of which he started, making his 2000 season the worst in history for any pitcher with at least 50 innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
. At the beginning of the season, Halladay was optioned to Class A Dunedin Blue Jays
Dunedin Blue Jays
The Dunedin Blue Jays are a minor league baseball team based in Dunedin, Florida. They play in the Florida State League, and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club...
to rebuild his delivery.
Halladay's fastball was clocked up to 95 miles per hour (152.9 km/h), but it had little movement, and his pitches were up in the strike zone, which was ultimately the reason why his 2000 season
2000 Major League Baseball season
The 2000 Major League Baseball season ended with the New York Yankees defeating the New York Mets in Game 5 of the World Series, known as the Subway Series because fans could take the Subway to and from every game of the Series. An all-time record 5,693 home runs were hit during the regular 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 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
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies are a Minor League Baseball team based in the Knoxville, Tennessee metropolitan area. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball as of the 2011 season...
, and a month later, to class AAA Syracuse. By mid-season, he was back in the Blue Jays’ rotation. He posted a 5–3 win–loss record with a 3.19 ERA for the Blue Jays in 16 starts in 2001.
2002–2006
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 American League All-Star2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 73rd playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues that make up Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 9, 2002 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the home of...
team. His 19 wins were the most by a Blue Jay since David Wells
David Wells
David Lee Wells , nicknamed "Boomer", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Wells was considered to be one of the game's better left-handed pitchers, especially during his years with the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays. He pitched the fifteenth perfect game in baseball history...
won 20 in 2000.
Halladay continued his success in the 2003 season, posting a 22–7 record with a 3.25 ERA in 266 innings. He also recorded 204 strikeouts and only 32 walks, good for a 6.38 strikeouts-per-walk ratio. Halladay pitched the first extra-inning shutout in the major leagues since Jack Morris
Jack Morris
John Scott "Jack" Morris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in 18 big league seasons between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers, and won 254 games throughout his career...
in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series
1991 World Series
The 1991 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins of the American League against the Atlanta Braves of the National League. The series was played from Saturday, October 19 to Sunday, October 27....
, leading the Blue Jays to victory over the Tigers on September 6. He pitched 10 innings and had not allowed a hit until Kevin Witt
Kevin Witt
Kevin Witt is an American baseball player. Witt was drafted in the first round, 28th overall, by Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays in the 1994 Major League Baseball Draft...
doubled with two outs in the top of the eighth. Halladay won the American League Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
, while being once again named an All-Star and leading the Blue Jays to a surprising 86 victories. He was named by his peers as the Players Choice Award
Players Choice Award
The Players Choice Awards are annual Major League Baseball awards, given by the Major League Baseball Players Association .The Players Choice Awards are given following a secret ballot by players. Four awards go to a player in each league, while two awards each go to one player in all of Major...
s AL Outstanding Pitcher. He was also named the Sporting News AL Pitcher of the Year
The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award
Before there was a Cy Young Award, there was the Pitcher of the Year Award, established by The Sporting News in 1944, though no awards were given in 1946 or 1947. The award is given annually to the pitcher in each league judged by TSN baseball experts as having had the most outstanding season...
and the Baseball Prospectus Internet Baseball Awards
Baseball Prospectus Internet Baseball Awards
The annual Baseball Prospectus Internet Baseball Awards are based on fan voting. They started in 1991 with the Most Valuable Player, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year awards, in each of the two leagues in Major League Baseball. In 1998, an award for Manager of the Year was added in each...
AL Cy Young award winner.
In 2004, Halladay was placed on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
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 had pitched twice as many innings. He later revealed that he had been injured throughout the entire season with a "tired throwing arm", which he believed was from intense workouts in preseason.
The 2005 season began successfully for Halladay, as he posted a 12–4 record with a 2.41 ERA in 19 starts. He was selected to his third All-Star team and was slated to be the starting pitcher for the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
at the All-Star Game
2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 76th playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 12, 2005 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan,...
in Detroit
Comerica Park
Comerica Park is an open-air ballpark located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It serves as the home of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball's American League, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000....
. However, on July 8, Halladay's leg was broken by a line drive
Line drive
In baseball, a line drive is a type of batted ball, sharply hit, and on a level trajectory. The threshold between a line drive and a fly ball can be subjective....
off the bat of Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
left fielder Kevin Mench
Kevin Mench
Kevin Ford Mench is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent.-High school and college career:...
. As a result, he was replaced in the All-Star Game by Matt Clement
Matt Clement
Matthew Paul Clement is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher. Clement played for the San Diego Padres , Florida Marlins , Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox . While on the Red Sox active roster, he was injured all of the 2007 season...
of the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, while Mark Buehrle
Mark Buehrle
Mark Alan Buehrle is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He has pitched his entire baseball career for the Chicago White Sox, starting the opening game every season from 2002 to 2006 and again from 2008 to 2011....
of the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
was named the starting pitcher for the American League. Despite rehabilitation of his leg, Halladay would sit out the remainder of the season.
On March 16, 2006, Halladay signed a 40 million, three year contract extension that would last through . During that year, 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, 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.
2007–2009
Halladay was the American League pitcher of the monthPitcher of the Month
The Pitcher of the Month award is a Major League Baseball award named by each league for each month of the regular season. The National League started recognizing the award in . The American League followed in...
in April 2007, going 4–0, highlighted by a 10-inning complete game win over the Detroit Tigers
2007 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers 2007 season ended with the Tigers finishing runner-up in the AL Central Division. They failed in winning the Wild Card, a task which they achieved in 2006, and going on to win the AL Pennant....
. 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
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. 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 hit 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
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
on July 22, allowing only three hits.
In 2008, for the sixth consecutive year, Halladay was Toronto's opening-day starter, improving his own club record. He lost 3–2 in a pitcher's duel with New York's Chien-Ming Wang
Chien-Ming Wang
Chien-Ming Wang is a Taiwanese Major League Baseball pitcher. He was initially signed as an amateur free agent by the New York Yankees for the 2000 season, and played for the Staten Island Yankees...
. His first win of the season came in his next start against Boston, when he outpitched Josh Beckett
Josh Beckett
Joshua Patrick Beckett is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. During his career in the playoffs, he won the 2003 World Series MVP Award with the Florida Marlins, and received the 2007 ALCS MVP award with the Red Sox.-Florida Marlins :A...
in his season debut. In his third start, Halladay pitched a complete game against the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, 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. In fact, those three complete game losses came in three consecutive starts. On June 20 against the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, Halladay was struck in the temple by a line-drive off the bat of Nyjer Morgan
Nyjer Morgan
Nyjer Jamid Morgan nicknamed Tony Plush is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers....
. The ball caromed off Halladay's head and was caught by third baseman Scott Rolen
Scott Rolen
Scott Bruce Rolen is a Major League Baseball third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds. He is an eight-time Gold Glove winner and seven-time All-Star.-Philadelphia Phillies:...
, 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
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
against the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
on June 30. He limited them to four hits in his sixth complete game of the season. The shutout tied him with the Cardinals' Mark Mulder
Mark Mulder
Mark Alan Mulder is a retired left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball.-Oakland Athletics:...
for 10th among active pitchers. On July 11, 2008, Halladay pitched his 7th complete game and second shutout of the season against the New York Yankees, allowing 0 runs on 2 hits for his 38th career complete game. 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
Lance Berkman
William Lance Berkman is an American professional baseball outfielder and right fielder with the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball....
. 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
Luis Tiant
Luis Clemente Tiant Vega , born November 23, 1940 in Marianao, Cuba, , is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , Boston Red Sox , New York Yankees , Pittsburgh Pirates and California Angels...
in 1974. In addition, he led the AL with a 1.05 WHIP
Walks plus hits per inning pitched
In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. It is a measure of a pitcher's ability to prevent batters from reaching base...
. Halladay finished second in the 2008 American League Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
voting, behind Cliff Lee
Cliff Lee
Clifton Phifer "Cliff" Lee is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee has also played for the Cleveland Indians, the Seattle Mariners, and the Texas Rangers....
of the Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. He also led the AL with 9 complete games, and struck out a career-high 206 batters (two more than his 2003 season) as well as posted a 2.78 ERA (the second-best of his career) that was second only to Cliff Lee's
Cliff Lee
Clifton Phifer "Cliff" Lee is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee has also played for the Cleveland Indians, the Seattle Mariners, and the Texas Rangers....
2.54 ERA. Halladay also became just the fourth pitcher in major league history to post two seasons of 200 strikeouts and fewer than 40 walks. He was presented the George Gross/Toronto Sun
Toronto Sun
The Toronto Sun is an English-language daily tabloid newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known for its daily Sunshine Girl feature and for what it sees as a populist conservative editorial stance.-History:...
Sportsperson of the Year award.
On April 6, 2009, Halladay made his team-record seventh straight Opening Day start for Toronto, defeating the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. Halladay then also won his next two starts, on the road against the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
and the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. Halladay would lose his next game to the Rangers giving up 5 earned runs over 8 innings only to go on and win his next 6 games to bring his record up to 8–1 with a 2.75 ERA. With season-ending injuries to planned 2009 Jays' starters Dustin McGowan
Dustin McGowan
Dustin Michael McGowan is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball. Drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays out of Long County High School in Ludowici, Georgia in the 1st round with 33rd pick of the draft on June 4, 2000...
and Shawn Marcum, and with #2 starter Jesse Litsch
Jesse Litsch
Jesse Allen Litsch is an American pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball. He is tall and weighs 225 pounds....
on the disabled list early in the season, Halladay led a staff of young, mostly inexperienced starters. Halladay was named the AL Player of the Week for the period ending May 17. Doc was 2–0 with a 1.13 ERA over 16.0 innings in his two starts the week prior. In a game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
on June 2, Halladay struck out 14 batters and threw 133 pitches, both career highs. On June 12, he left the game early because of a strained hip adductor muscle
Adductor muscles of the hip
In human anatomy, the adductor muscles of the hip is a group of muscles of the thigh.-Muscles:The adductor group is made up of:*Adductor brevis*Adductor longus*Adductor magnus*Adductor minimus This is often considered to be a part of adductor magnus....
, commonly referred to as a pulled groin, and was placed on the 15-day disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
on June 17. On July 5, he was selected to represent Toronto at the All-Star Game
2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 80th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 14, 2009, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, the home of the...
. On July 14, he started the All-Star Game for the American League, pitching 2 innings and giving up 3 runs, of which 1 was unearned. That year, he was named #7 on the Sporting News list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball. A panel of 100 baseball people, many of them members of the Baseball Hall of Fame and winners of major baseball awards, was polled to arrive at the list.
As of the conclusion of his start on September 20, 2009, Halladay was tied for the second-longest streak in the American League that season with a 24-inning scoreless streak. Halladay finished the season with a 17–10 record, giving him a career win percentage of .660, good enough for 18th all-time. In December, Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
named Halladay as one of the five pitchers in the starting rotation of its MLB All-Decade Team.
Philadelphia Phillies (2010–present)
On December 15, Halladay was traded from the Blue Jays to the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for minor league prospects Travis D'Arnaud, Kyle Drabek
Kyle Drabek
Kyle Jordan Drabek is an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the Toronto Blue Jays. He made his first major league start on September 15, 2010 against the Baltimore Orioles....
, and Michael Taylor
Michael Taylor (baseball)
Michael D. Taylor is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Oakland Athletics.-Baseball career:...
. He agreed to a contract extension worth US$60 million that includes a US$20 million vesting option for a fourth season.
2010
On Opening DayOpening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
, Halladay pitched seven innings while giving up a run against the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
in his first game with the Phillies. He had nine strikeouts and allowed six hits. He also drove in his second career RBI and earned his first win of the season. He followed this start with a complete game on April 11 against the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
, giving up one unearned run while striking out eight and not giving up any walks in the Phillies' 2–1 victory.
Halladay pitched his first shutout in the National League, against the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
on April 21, becoming the first pitcher to reach four wins in the 2010 season. On May 1, Halladay pitched his second shutout of the season, limiting the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
to three hits and striking out six.
On September 21, Halladay became the first Phillies pitcher to win 20 games in a season since Steve Carlton accomplished it in 1982. He was the first right-handed Phillies pitcher to accomplish the feat since Robin Roberts in 1955. One week later, on September 27, he completed his 21st victory, helping the Phillies clinch their fourth consecutive National League East title.
Halladay was named by his peers as the Players Choice Award
Players Choice Award
The Players Choice Awards are annual Major League Baseball awards, given by the Major League Baseball Players Association .The Players Choice Awards are given following a secret ballot by players. Four awards go to a player in each league, while two awards each go to one player in all of Major...
s NL Outstanding Pitcher. He was also unanimously chosen as the recipient of the 2010 National League Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
, becoming the first Phillie to win the award since Steve Bedrosian
Steve Bedrosian
Stephen Wayne Bedrosian, is an American former baseball player. Nicknamed "Bedrock", he played from 1981 to 1995 with the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants and Minnesota Twins...
in 1987 and only the fifth pitcher in MLB history to win the award in both leagues, joining Gaylord Perry
Gaylord Perry
Gaylord Jackson Perry is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1962-1983 for eight different teams in his career. During a 22-year baseball career, Perry compiled 314 wins, 3,534 strikeouts, and a 3.11 earned run average...
, Pedro Martínez
Pedro Martínez
Pedro Jaime Martínez is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2004 World Series champion...
, Randy Johnson
Randy Johnson
Randall David Johnson , nicknamed "The Big Unit", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 22-year career, he pitched for six different teams....
and Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
. He was likewise selected as the Sporting News NL Pitcher of the Year
The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award
Before there was a Cy Young Award, there was the Pitcher of the Year Award, established by The Sporting News in 1944, though no awards were given in 1946 or 1947. The award is given annually to the pitcher in each league judged by TSN baseball experts as having had the most outstanding season...
, the USA Today NL Cy Young, and the Baseball Prospectus Internet Baseball Awards
Baseball Prospectus Internet Baseball Awards
The annual Baseball Prospectus Internet Baseball Awards are based on fan voting. They started in 1991 with the Most Valuable Player, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year awards, in each of the two leagues in Major League Baseball. In 1998, an award for Manager of the Year was added in each...
NL Cy Young. He also was named the MLB "This Year in Baseball Awards"
This Year in Baseball Awards
This Year in Baseball Awards, initiated by Major League Baseball in , are honors given annually to the most extraordinary baseball performances, players, and managers. Baseball fans select the nominees for and winners of the awards, via the online voting system on MLB.com, the official website of...
Starting Pitcher of the Year. Baseball America named him its Major League Player of the Year
Baseball America Major League Player of the Year
The Baseball America Major League Player of the Year award is given each year by Baseball America to the best player—at any position—in Major League Baseball...
(including all positions in both leagues). MLB named him its "MLB Clutch Performer of the Year". He was given the Heart & Hustle Award
Heart & Hustle Award
The Heart & Hustle Award is given out annually by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association to a current player who not only excels on the field, but also "best embodies the values, spirit and tradition of the game."...
by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association. He was also named Pro Athlete of the Year by both the Sporting News and the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association
Philadelphia Sports Writers Association
The Philadelphia Sports Writers Association was founded on May 12, 1904, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US. The first of what would become an annual Awards Dinner was held on February 15, 1905.-Awards:...
and Sportsperson of the Year by the Philadelphia Daily News. The Philadelphia chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America presented him the "Steve Carlton Most Valuable Pitcher" and "Dallas Green Special Achievement" awards.
In innings pitched, Halladay finished the 2010 regular season with a 21–10 record and a 2.44 ERA, setting a career high with 219 strikeouts while issuing just 30 walks. He led the National league in wins, innings pitched, with 9 complete games including 4 shutouts. He became just the seventh pitcher in the history of Major League baseball to pitch 250 or more innings with 30 or fewer walks, the first pitcher to do so since Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1923 with the Chicago Cubs.
Perfect game
On May 29, Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game
Roy Halladay's perfect game
On May 29, 2010, Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched the twentieth perfect game in baseball history, against the Florida Marlins in Miami. He retired all 27 batters, striking out 11...
in MLB history, against the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
in Miami, retiring all 27 batters and striking out 11, allowing no hits, runs, walks, or errors. This was the first time in the modern era that two pitchers (Dallas Braden
Dallas Braden
Dallas Lee Braden is a left-handed pitcher for the Oakland Athletics. He was drafted out of Texas Tech University in the twenty fourth round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft by the Athletics...
of the Oakland A's and Halladay) had thrown perfect games in the same month and that multiple perfect games had been achieved in the same season. When Halladay's former manager, Cito Gaston
Cito Gaston
Clarence Edwin "Cito" Gaston is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. His major league career as a player lasted from 1967–1978, most notably for the San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves...
, called to congratulate him, Halladay was unable to take the call because he was busy with the post-game media frenzy. On August 24, 2010, to commemorate his perfect game, Halladay presented around 60 Swiss-made Baume and Mercier
Baume et Mercier
Baume et Mercier is a Swiss luxury watchmaking company founded in 1830. It is owned by Richemont, and with Cartier and Piaget they make up the core of the group. This company is represented in 75 countries and produces around 200,000 watches a year. The most important markets are in Europe,...
watches he had purchased to everyone in the clubhouse. The watches were presented in brown boxes that bore the inscription: "We did it together. Thanks, Roy Halladay." Additionally, the back of each watch was engraved with the date of the game, the line score, and the individual recipient's name.
Postseason no-hitter
On October 6, 2010, in his first postseason appearance, Halladay pitched a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
(his second of the season), against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
in the first game of the National League Division Series
2010 National League Division Series
The 2010 National League Division Series were two best-of-five game series to determine the participating teams in the 2010 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners and a fourth team—a "Wild Card"—played in two series from October 6 to 11...
(NLDS). He became the second player ever to pitch a no-hitter in the postseason, joining Don Larsen
Don Larsen
Donald James Larsen is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 15-year baseball career, he pitched from 1953-67 for seven different teams. Larsen is best known for pitching the sixth perfect game in baseball history, doing so in game 5 of the 1956 World Series...
of the 1956 New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, who pitched a perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
in the World Series
1956 World Series
The 1956 World Series of Major League Baseball was played between the New York Yankees and the defending champion Brooklyn Dodgers during the month of October 1956. The Series was a rematch of the 1955 World Series...
. He also became the first pitcher since Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
in 1973 to throw two no-hitters in a season, as well as the seventh pitcher to hurl both a perfect game and a regular no-hitter in his career, joining Cy Young
Cy Young
Denton True "Cy" Young was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. During his 22-year baseball career , he pitched for five different teams. Young was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937...
, Addie Joss
Addie Joss
Adrian Joss was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched his entire nine-year baseball career for the Cleveland Bronchos/Naps .-Early life:...
, Jim Bunning
Jim Bunning
James Paul David "Jim" Bunning is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and politician.During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1955 to 1971, most notably with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired, he had the second-highest total of career...
, Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax
Sanford "Sandy" Koufax is a former left-handed baseball pitcher who played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers...
, Randy Johnson
Randy Johnson
Randall David Johnson , nicknamed "The Big Unit", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 22-year career, he pitched for six different teams....
and Mark Buehrle
Mark Buehrle
Mark Alan Buehrle is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He has pitched his entire baseball career for the Chicago White Sox, starting the opening game every season from 2002 to 2006 and again from 2008 to 2011....
. Halladay allowed just one walk to right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
Jay Bruce
Jay Bruce
Jay Allen Bruce is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds. He was selected 12th overall in the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft....
with two outs in the fifth inning, and faced just one batter above the minimum 27. This also marked the first time in Major League history that a pitcher threw a perfect game and a no-hitter in the same season. The fans voted his no-hitter as the "This Year in Baseball Awards" Postseason Moment of the Year.
2011
On April 24, 2011, Halladay struck out 14 and allowed just 5 hits in the game as his team swept the San Diego PadresSan Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
in all four games. Halladay took a two-hitter into the ninth before allowing three straight singles. He allowed just one run and won, 3–1.
In May, Halladay was named the 2011 winner of the John Wanamaker
John Wanamaker
John Wanamaker was a United States merchant, religious leader, civic and political figure, considered by some to be the father of modern advertising and a "pioneer in marketing." Wanamaker was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Biography:He was born on July 11, 1838.He opened his first store in...
Athletic Award, by the Philadelphia Sports Congress, based on his 2010 season.
In June, Halladay was presented the Best Major League Baseball Player ESPY Award
Best Major League Baseball Player ESPY Award
The Best Major League Baseball Player ESPY Award, known alternatively as the Best Baseball Player ESPY Award, has been presented annually since 1993 to the Major League Baseball player adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year, typically most significantly in the MLB season in progress...
, for his performance since June 2010.
On July 12, Halladay was the NL starting pitcher in the All-Star Game
2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 82nd in-season exhibition game between the All-Stars of the National League and the American League ; the leagues composing Major League Baseball. The event was held on Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, home of the...
.
Halladay went 19-6 in 2011, with a 2.35 ERA, and pitched 8 complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
s, second most in the Majors. Halladay was named the game one and five starter as Philadelphia advanced to the NLDS to face the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. They lost in five games. He finished 2nd in NL Cy Young voting to Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Edward Kershaw is a left-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball.In 2011, Kershaw won the Pitching Triple Crown and the National League Cy Young Award, becoming the youngest pitcher to accomplish either of these feats since Dwight Gooden in 1985...
of the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
Approach to pitching
Halladay's uniqueness is characterized by his ability to throw a hard two-seam sinking fastball ranging in the low 90s with pinpoint control. In addition, he throws a 4-seam fastball in the low 90s (which is rarely seen), a 12–6 curveball in the high 70s, a cut fastball from 90–92 mph which he had modified the grip for in 2007 at the suggestion of former catcher Sal FasanoSal Fasano
Salvatore Frank Fasano is a former Major League Baseball catcher who is currently the manager of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Double A Eastern League, a Minor League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays minor league system. He is known to many for his famous Horseshoe moustache.Jeff Pearlman...
. The change-up is one pitch that Halladay had problem commanding in the past, which he had used very rarely. But since joining the Phillies in 2010, Halladay started throwing a change-up pitch that is really a version of the split-finger fastball (called a split-change) that he uses as a strikeout pitch with the help of pitching coach Rich Dubee.
In spite of his reputation as a ground ball pitcher who works at an efficient pace, Halladay's strikeout totals have increased steadily in recent years as a result of his fastball velocity and his willingness to use his curveball and change-up in strikeout counts. Halladay's efficiency and durability are reflected in his total innings pitched every year, also due to his ability to strike out hitters in addition to induce ground ball outs to escape jams. He usually leads the league in innings pitched and complete games, while ranking among the leaders in WHIP and ERA.
Prior to and during each start, 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 plan every pitch he would pitch while on the mound. During this time, he does not talk to anyone except the manager or the pitching coach. He will not even reply to a "hello" or wave from a teammate or spectator, nor talk to the media until he has been relieved or he completes a game.
Personal life
Halladay is married to his wife Brandy and they have two children. He and his wife were raised as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, although they are now non-practicing. While he was a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, Halladay and his wife invited children and their families from the Hospital for Sick ChildrenHospital for Sick Children
The Hospital for Sick Children – is a major paediatric centre for the Greater Toronto Area, serving patients up to age 18. Located on University Avenue in Downtown Toronto, SickKids is part of the city’s Discovery District, a critical mass of scientists and entrepreneurs who are focused on...
into "Doc's Box" at Rogers Centre during Blue Jays games. As part of his contract with the Blue Jays, he also donated US$100,000 each year to the Jays Care Foundation.
He was the Blue Jays' nominee numerous times for the Roberto Clemente Award
Roberto Clemente Award
The Roberto Clemente Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team", as voted on by baseball fans and members of the media. It is named for Hall of Fame...
for his work with underprivileged children. For the same reason, he was also the Blue Jays' nominee in 2008 for the Players Choice Award
Players Choice Award
The Players Choice Awards are annual Major League Baseball awards, given by the Major League Baseball Players Association .The Players Choice Awards are given following a secret ballot by players. Four awards go to a player in each league, while two awards each go to one player in all of Major...
s Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award.
During the offseason, Halladay and his family live in Odessa, Florida
Odessa, Florida
Odessa is a census-designated place in both Hillsborough County, Florida, and Pasco County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,173 at the 2000 census.- History :...
.
Halladay was announced by 2K Sports
2K Sports
2K Sports is a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. It comprises a single development studio, Visual Concepts, which was purchased from Sega in the year 2005. 2K Sports mainly develops and publishes American sports video games such as NBA 2K series...
as the cover athlete for Major League Baseball 2K11
Major League Baseball 2K11
Major League Baseball 2K11 or, in short, MLB 2K11, is an MLB licensed baseball simulation video game published by 2K Sports. MLB 2K11 is available for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, and Wii.-Commentators:The commentary is delivered by...
.
External links
- Roy Halladay, Perfect Game: May 29, 2010. Philadelphia Phillies official website