Making his major league debut in 1998, Roy “Doc” Halladay has emerged as the backbone of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball organization. His ability to shut down batters and keep his cool in the toughest of situations has earned him awards, accolades, and admirers in baseball circles. And while American by birth, his loyalty to the hometown crowd has made him a Canadian favourite.
A Star is Born
Harry Leroy Halladay III was born in Denver, Colorado June 14, 1977. In high school, he was named a first team All-Conference and All-State selection for three years, as well as earning League and State MVP titles for two years. In 1995, he was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the amateur draft. After six years in the minors, the righty rose through the ranks and broke into the big leagues, joining the Jays major league team in 1998.
Highs and Lows of Starting Out
Although he showed promise early in his first big league debut, getting his first win in only his second start, he lost his magic during the 2000 – 2001 season. Sporting a disappointing ERA of 10.64, Halladay was sent all the way down to the Jays Class A affiliate to work on his delivery and rebuild his confidence. After a month, he showed signs of improvement and worked his way back up to Double A and then Triple A ball. By mid-season in 2001, he was back in the majors on the Jays bench, and brought his ERA back down to a respectable 3.16.
Break Out the Champagne
With his woes behind him, Halladay had a break through year, finishing the 2002 season with a 19 – 7 record and a spot on the All-Star team. The following year was even better, as Halladay posted a 22 – 7 record, winning the Cy Young award, recognizing him as the best pitcher in the American League.
Leader on the Mound
Halladay missed part of 2004 due to injury, but since then, he has been the backbone of the Jays organization. Since 2005, he’s never had a losing season and in 2008, sported an impressive 20 – 11 record. He signed a three year contract extension in 2006 that will see him with the ball club until 2010. In 2008, MLB.com noted that Derek Jeter referred to Halladay as the best pitcher in baseball. And earlier this year, he was #7 on The Sporting News top 50 list of major league baseball players.
