Lights Out: Roy Halladay retires a Blue Jay

Roy Halladay(back) and A.J. Burnett(front)

There is no doubt when Roy Halladay called the Toronto Blue Jays and told him he was going to be calling it a career there were mixed emotions from both sides. Halladay was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball from about 2001-2011. When the Blue Jays offered Halladay the chance to sign a one-day contract with them it was too good he couldn't refuse. It is very rare for a pitcher to end his career where he started it.

Halliday pitched for Toronto from 1998-2009. During his years in Toronto "Doc" as they call him posted 148 wins with the Jays. "Doc" was a 6-time All-Star(2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009), a Cy-Young Award winner(2003), and an AL-wins champion(2003). Halladay's last season in Toronto was 2009 when he posted a 17-10 record with a 2.79 ERA.

From 2006-2008 Roy Halliday along with A.J. Burnett formed about the best 1-2 punch in all of baseball. If it wasn't for the two Toronto would have had a hard time winning any games in the AL East those years. In 2008, Halladay went 20-11 with a 2.78 ERA while Burnett posted not to shabby numbers either going 18-10 with a 4.07 ERA.

Roy Halladay

During Halladay's first Cy-Young year he posted a 22-7 record and 3.25 ERA. As already stated, he lead the AL in wins that season(22).

Before the 2010 season the Philadelphia Phillies made it clear that they wanted to bolster their pitching rotation. In there move to try and get back to the top of the NL the Phillies acquired Roy Halladay from the Blue Jays in exchange for OF Michael Taylor, catching prospect and Travis d'Arnaud. The Blue Jays would also get young gun, Kyle Drabek Tn addition to just Halladay joining the Phillies that year they got Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt. Many thought the Halladay-Lee-Hamels-Oswalt rotation was the best in baseball. Joe Blanton assumed the fifth-starter role.

Roy Halladay, Joe Blaton, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels(right)

In "Doc"'s first season in Philadelphia he was absolutely dominant. Halladay went 21-10 with a 2.44 ERA. The Phillies won the NL that year and yes, Roy played a huge part in that outcome. On May 29th, 2010 hurled the twentieth perfect game in MLB history against the Florida Marlins Halladay retired 27 batters and 11 on strikes.

Halladay's first ever post-season start was in 2010 against the Cincinnati Reds. Halladay no-hit the Reds while striking out 8.Halladay's post-season numbers come to a draw at 3-2 with a 2.37 ERA in 5 games started.

If was going to be very difficult for "Doc" to pitch in 2014 due to injury concerns. Halladay had a combination of arm and back trouble in 2013 which limited him to 13 games finishing 4-5 with a 6.82 ERA. With the injury combined with him wanting to spend more time with his family, he made it clear why he wanted to retire.