Roy Halladay – 1st year on ballot
This should have been a time to celebrate Roy Halladay’s career. Instead, it is a time for remembrance for a life lost far too soon.
A star for the Blue Jays and Phillies, Halladay was one of the best pitchers in the game in the 2000s. He had struggled early on, completely losing his ability to command his arsenal in 2000, leading to his being demoted all the way to the Florida State League in 2001. However, he rediscovered his form with that stint in the minors, going on to be a force at the major league level once again.
Halladay quickly established himself as an ace, becoming an eight time All Star and was a two time Cy Young winner, one of six players to win the award in both leagues. He fired the second no hitter in postseason history in his playoff debut in 2010, and became the fifth pitcher to throw two no hitters in a year. Understandably, he had impressive numbers over his career, posting a 203-105 record, along with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.178 WHiP. Over his 2749.1 innings, Halladay struck out 2117 batters with only 592 walks.
It seems likely that Halladay gets inducted into the Hall of Fame at some point. His overall production, and his early death, albeit by his recklessness, will certainly be factors in his case. He had crashed his plane into the ocean, after flying dangerously close to the water and performing abrupt climbing maneuvers. Alcohol, morphine, and other drugs were found in his system, and were likely contributing factors to his passing.
Roy Halladay should have a strong first year on the ballot. Whether or not that is enough to get him into the MLB Hall of Fame in his first year is more uncertainly. Nonetheless, he appears destined to be inducted in the future.