Roy Halladay retires.

[Gehrig]

Thought this was worth it's own thread. Roy Halladay signs a one-day contract with the Blue Jays and retires.

One of the best pitchers of this generation. Sad to see him go out like this.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Hall of Famer?

 

[Gator]

Just 203 wins. Only three times winning 20 games in a season. But a two-time Cy Young winner. And obviously that amazing postseason perfect game. He did pitch in the toughest division for the majority of his career. Still, all things considered. No.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Just 203 wins. Only three times winning 20 games in a season. But a two-time Cy Young winner. And obviously that amazing postseason perfect game. He did pitch in the toughest division for the majority of his career. Still, all things considered. No.

Halladay may be the poster boy for a legitimate reason I have brought up before for why voters sometimes wait on first- and second-year HOF candidates. Five years from now, we still might not know how his career stacks up in the new paradigm for starting pitchers. His era will still be going on, and it might be worth waiting to see how the Verlanders, Kershaws, and King Felixes compare when all is said and done.

His wins don't concern me, because wins are dumb. He's 35th all-time in ERA-plus, but only 180th in IPs.

 

[Huggy]

Halladay and Chris Carpenter, once thought of to be the backbone of the Blue Jays rotation for years, retire within weeks of each other. Loved watching Halladay pitch for the Jays, at the top of his game he was masterful.

 

[Steak Snabler]

Best pitcher in baseball over a 10-year stretch (2002-2011). Two Cy Youngs, two runner-ups and two other top 5 finishes.

He's a Hall of Famer in my book, though he might not make it the first year (and who knows how crowded the ballot will be in 5 years).

And if you still want to use the wins standard, his winning percentage is 17th all-time, better than Roger Clemens, Sandy Koufax, Jim Palmer, Dizzy Dean, Juan Marichal and Bob Feller, among others.

 

[Della9250]

And two Cy Young runner-ups plus a third. He's Curt Shilling without the strikeouts and postseason numbers. Based on the writers' previous voting patterns he's a prime Veterans Candidate. Although by the time he hits the ballot, he should be by far the best starter available, since I'd like to assume by 2019 Maddux, Glavine, Martinez, Johnson and Smoltz are first-ballot guys, Schilling gets in (2019 would be his seventh time on the ballot) and unfortunately Mussina probably drops off the ballot.

Halladay's only competition to get pitcher votes would be relievers in Hoffman and/or Wagner unless Johan Santana, Chris Carpenter, Kenny Rogers or Jamie Moyer survive five percent before then.

 

[Guy_Incognito]

When was Schilling the best pitcher in the league? I think he's a better candidate than Schilling, but then I think Mussina should go in before Schilling too. Neither has the holes in their career that Schilling had. I put Schilling a step below, with Cone.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I think he should be a first-ballot lock. I know he doesn't have the wins to merit this, but I can't imagine him not getting in.

 

[deskslave]

Just 203 wins. Only three times winning 20 games in a season. But a two-time Cy Young winner. And obviously that amazing postseason perfect game. He did pitch in the toughest division for the majority of his career. Still, all things considered. No.

He pitched a perfect game, but it wasn't in the postseason.

 

[Huggy]

Halladay worked fast, the media had to love that!

For this Blue Jays fanboi looser he is a Hall of Famer, maybe not a first ballot guy, but he deserves to get in.

 

[MisterCreosote]

Just 203 wins. Only three times winning 20 games in a season. But a two-time Cy Young winner. And obviously that amazing postseason perfect game. He did pitch in the toughest division for the majority of his career. Still, all things considered. No.

He pitched a perfect game, but it wasn't in the postseason.

He pitched a perfect game earlier that same season, and then a no-hitter in his postseason debut.

And, yes, Hall of Famer. No question.

 

[X-Hack]

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.

 

[Gehrig]

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.

 

[deskslave]

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.

 

[Dick Whitman]

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.

 

[Della9250]

When was Schilling the best pitcher in the league? I think he's a better candidate than Schilling, but then I think Mussina should go in before Schilling too. Neither has the holes in their career that Schilling had. I put Schilling a step below, with Cone.

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

 

[Mizzougrad96]

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

 

[Gehrig]

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

1. Halladay
2. Mussina
3. Schilling

 

[YankeeFan]

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.

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.