Roy Halladay Retires From Baseball
Ace MLB pitcher Roy Halladay is retiring.
Halladay, 36, who is a free agent, signed a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays today so he could retire with his original team that drafted him out of high school.
The Blue Jays observed that “Roy is one of the most professional and dominant pitchers of his generation, and the Toronto Blue Jays are very proud and honored that he will retire as a member of our organization.”
He made his big league debut with Toronto in September 1998. Halladay finishes his 16-year MLB career with a 203-105 won-loss record, over 2,000 strikeouts, and an ERA of 3.38. He tossed two no hitters and won the Cy Young Award in both the American and National League. The eight-time All Star also threw 67 complete games and 20 shutouts. After 12 years with Toronto Halladay spent the last four seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, but was on the shelf for most of the 2013 season after shoulder surgery.
In evaluating “Doc” Halladay’s MLB career, USA Today noted that “For a 10-season stretch from 2002 to 2011, Halladay was about the best pitcher in baseball. Over that time, the righty went 170-75 with a 2.97 ERA, made seven All-Star teams, and won two Cy Young Awards.”
In announcing his retirement, Halladay said today that “As much fun as I had in Toronto, Philadelphia was kind of the icing on the cake for me… I’d love to retire with two teams. Really, I felt like I want the Phillies to know, I want the fans to know, how much I enjoyed my time there. I’ve played in two places where the fans are extremely supportive. They may boo you on the field, but they’re the first ones to come up to you on the street and smile and shake your hand and greet you.” He also expressed appreciation for the many people that help him with his career along the way.
Halladay added that the physical toll on his body, including the shoulder and back, influenced him to retire so that he could have a better post-baseball quality of life moving forward.
[top image credit: Keith Allison]
