Roy Halladay retires.

Definitely a Hall of Famer. One of the 2 or 3 best pitcher in the game for almost a decade. Would have more wins if he hadn't spent so much time with a mediocre team in a tough division. I'd certainly put him in over Schilling.

 

Halladay has done many things HOF pitchers do. He's 8th all-time in Cy Young Award shares. He's an eight time all-star. He's the active leader in pitching WAR, 1st in career winning percentage among actives, 4th in adjusted ERA+ career among actives, and 4th in career wins among actives. He led his league in pitching WAR 4 times, he was in the top 5 in ERA in his league 7 times, he was in the top 4 in wins 7 times, leading twice, he was in the top 4 in winning percentage 6 times, winning twice, he was in the top 4 in WHIP six times, winning once and second four times, he was in the top 5 in IP 9 times, leading 4 of them, and 7 times was in the top six in Ks. He is 26th all time in black ink, 56th in gray ink, and 53d in HOF standards, and the Hall has over 70 pitchers in it. Basically, if you bar the door to Halladay, no starting pitcher whose career was mostly in the recently ended decade can make it. Halladay has a good relationship with the press and has not been touched by scandal. I'd be very surprised if he doesn't make it fairly quickly when he becomes eligible.

 

One of my tests for whether a guy is a Hall of Famer is whether, especially as a road fan, you'd have gone out of your way to see him pitch, gone to a ballgame you wouldn't have otherwise because he was pitching that night. Certainly seems like he was one of those guys for a long stretch of time.

 

With all due respect, that's a terrible way to judge a HOF candidacy.

 

If you look at their career numbers, they are very, very similar. I think voters will view then in the same light.

 

The six top 5 Cy Young finishes with two wins is what seals it for me.

 

Also, this is how I would rank these three pitchers:

1. Halladay
2. Mussina
3. Schilling

 

You've got to consider that Deskslave lives across the Pond. If he's coming out to a game because of a specific player, that's a pretty big deal.

 

Saw him from six rows behind home plate for every one of his home openers here in Toronto. He was an artist.

 

There's also a reason I don't get a Hall of Fame vote.

 

I'm still trying to get some traction on my petition to remove all other voting privileges from you. I'll add this to the file.

 

Halladay is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. No question.
What's lost in all of this is that and should be applauded is that he gave it a shot and said he couldn't do it any longer. He could've gotten another contract to pitch but decided against it. I wish more athletes did that.