Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Roy Halladay Named on Hall of Fame Ballot

Roy Halladay is one of the several qualified first time candidates on the ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame's 2019 induction class.

Roy Halladay used to strike fear in opposing hitters. For those who watched his mastery on the mound, there seemed only one place he could end his career: Cooperstown, New York.

The ballot for the 2019 National Baseball Hall of Fame class was released Monday night. The names of the retired stars listed evoke vivid memories of what was, but only a select few are allowed into the Hall of Fame.

Among the names of many qualified first-time candidates is the former Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies pitcher. Once a 17th overall pick, he pitched 16 seasons from 1998-2013. Unfortunately, Halladay was tragically killed in a plane crash on November 7, 2017.

Roy Halladay Named on Hall of Fame Ballot

Redemption Arc

Roy Halladay produced a stretch of such sheer dominance during his career, leading some to forget his story is one of redemption. Halladay was once demoted from the big leagues all the way to High-A minor league baseball in Dunedin, Florida. This demotion came after he pitched to a 10.64 ERA in 2000.

Halladay completely reinvented his mechanics and came back with a vengeance. He would go on to win the Cy Young Award in 2003 and 2010 while being named to eight All-Star teams. Aside from twice winning the award, he also finished top five in the Cy Young voting on five other occasions, and he even had two, top 10 MVP finishes. In 2010, he pitched a perfect game, then threw the second no-hitter in postseason history.

Sheer Domination

The peak of Halladay’s career was from 2002-11. In that span, he won 170 games while compiling a 2.97 ERA in 2,194.2 innings pitched. He led the league in innings pitched four times, and he averaged 219 per season during that time.

One statistic that speaks volumes to his dominance during his peak is his strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.57. This shows what incredible control Halladay had as he was not known as a strikeout pitcher yet averaged over four of them for every walk he relinquished. He also led the league in this statistic five of the ten years during his peak.

Halladay was best known for his ability to shut down opposing batters and finish games. He began his career in the 1990s, a decade which saw eight percent of all games started, completed. His career ran through the 2000s, where that number dropped to three percent, and into the 2010s, where that number has dropped below three percent.

That being said, Halladay pitched as if he were from another era. He led the league in complete games seven times, finishing 67 of his 390 starts. That total is good for 17 percent, astronomically higher than the league average while he pitched.

Is He Deserving?

Halladay should be inducted to the Hall of Fame one day. He certainly has a plethora of moments and accolades to cement his name in baseball history. His overall numbers are also deserving: a 203-105 record, 3.38 ERA in 2,749.1 innings pitched, a 1.18 WHIP, and a 3.58 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

His candidacy is largely based off of his peak although his peak was long enough and dominant enough to warrant induction. It would be shocking not to see him inducted off of his first ballot, but should he not, he should get in sooner rather than later.

Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images

Share:

More Posts

Send Us A Message