Celebrating Doctober at Big League Stew

 

The post below -- a Blue Jays fan's take on watching Roy Halladay's no-hitter -- has been cross-posted from Big League Stew. A hearty thanks to 'Duk for having me.

Roy Halladay's first postseason start was 12 years, 2,297.1 innings and 346 games in the making.

It was well worth the wait.

I'm going to be honest with you: As soon asShane Victorino slid safely into home plate in the bottom of the first inning on Wednesday, giving Halladay and thePhiladelphia Phillies a 1-0 lead, a little voice in my head sprang to life:

"No-hitter," it said.

Yes, in the first inning. Know why? Because I'm from Toronto. My name's Navin, I'm a Blue Jays fan, and I've watched Roy Halladay pitch many more times than you have. And along with my Canadian brethren north of the 49th, we're not surprised by what transpired at Citizens Bank Park.

Because, much like Doc's perfect game in the regular season, we knew that history was coming. When you've watched him as often as we have, you come to expect greatness. And perfection — or as close as you can come to it.

We know that Harry Leroy Halladay III has always risen to the occasion. In his second start as a professional, way back in 1998, Doc was one out away from a no-hitter at the SkyDome before Bobby Higginson went and ruined the party. He followed it up with more of a decade of battling and beating the beasts of the American League East. He has always known how to make an entrance.

Why would the playoffs be any different?

I'd be lying if I said Jays fans aren't conflicted. To root, or not to root, for Doc. Over the past 10 days, Stoeten at Drunk Jays Fans has let it be known that he finds it "kinda pathetic" for Jays fans to be rooting for another team's success no matter who's pitching.

The Tao of Stieb, the most thought-provoking in the powerhouse that is the Blue Jays blogosphere, wrote: "So, yeah. Knock 'em dead Doc. Show the world how great you are. And go **** yourself while you're at it."

But while I respect those two writers greatly, I do not share their sentiments. Not since 2006, whenCarlos Delgado was a member of the New York Mets, have I had such a vested interest in Major League Baseball's playoffs. I'm rooting for Halladay. I'm rooting for the Phillies. Doc left Toronto to chase a ring, and I want him to get it.

Was it bittersweet, watching Halladay throw a no-hitter, and forever tying his name to Don Larsen's while wearing a red uniform instead of a Blue Jays jersey? Of course it is.

Would I trade Halladay's gem for one Blue Jays postseason game? Say, Ricky Romero and Toronto, instead of David Price and Tampa Bay, facing Cliff Lee and the Texas Rangers? Without a doubt.

But I don't have that option right now. Because Toronto is without postseason baseball for the 17th straight season, Doctober is as good as it gets.

Look, I'm tired of the "why should I cheer for my ex-girlfriend?" analogy. We're not talking relationships, here. We're talking baseball. The window closed on Halladay's time in Toronto, and, before it did for good, the Blue Jays made the right decision in sending their ace to Philadelphia, receiving prospects in return.

What's there to be bitter about? Doc gave us his formative years. And a rebuilding Blue Jays franchise won 85 games in 2010, after being predicted to finish below the Baltimore OrioLOLes. A young, cost-effective, and efficient starting rotation let it be known that the clubhouse was a more enjoyable and relaxed place to be, minus Halladay. Doc didn't ask to be traded, like Scott Rolen. He didn't opt-out of his contract, likeA.J. Burnett. With the Blue Jays headed in the right direction, but once again on the outside looking in at the postseason, what the hell is wrong with celebrating Doctober?

I'm also sick of the "We've known Doc was this good for the past five years!" complaints. The bitterness towards the American media, and casual baseball fans, who are only now learning about the greatness that is Roy Halladay, is absurd. Look, the real baseball fans know about Doc. The real baseball fans have always known about Doc. The same way I know, living in Toronto, thousands of miles east of Seattle, that Felix Hernandez deserves the 2010 Cy Young Award.

I dealt with the woe is me emotions, and the bitterness, in the aftermath of Halladay's perfect game, back in May. I was disappointed, and hurt. Yeah, it should have happened in a Toronto Blue Jays uniform. But it didn't. And, more than than anything, I'm glad it happened, period. I've overcome. Doc's one of baseball's "good guys." He deserves every ounce of success he's earned. He's the sole reason I went to the Rogers Centre in 2009.

What we in Toronto always wanted, always desired, was the opportunity to watch Halladay pitch in the postseason. Well, it's finally happened. Doc just happens to be wearing a Phillies uniform while doing it. Unfortunate? Sure, yeah, it is. But Halladay in the playoffs as a Phillie is better than Halladay not in the playoffs at all.

And in the end, it isn't about the Blue Jays, or the Phillies, or any team for that matter. It's about a man born to pitch in October, finally getting his chance to do just that.

And the best part?

Doctober's only begun.

"I just wanted to pitch in the postseason. ... To go out and have a game like that, it's a dream come true." — Roy Halladay

Epic image courtesy of Getty Images via Yahoo! Sports.

I want to go to the playoffs with Roy Halladay

Bittersweet. How else to describe watching Roy Halladay punch his ticket to the post-season? Of course Doc was on the mound for the Philadelphia Phillies Monday night. Of course Doc threw another complete game shutout to make it official. The Baseball Gods, they work in brilliant ways.

On the same night Halladay's Phillies clinched the National League East, the Toronto Blue Jays clinched a .500 season. Symmetry, yo. Doc's got what he wanted: a chance to win the World Series. And the Blue Jays, well, they're doing alright. They're on the righteous path. Remember, 2010 was supposed to be a disaster of biblical proportions. I'm talking below the OrioLOLes in the standings, apocalyptic-type shit. Nine months after trading the face of their franchise, and the best pitcher they've ever employed, there exists a quiet confidence that Alex Anthopoulos will lead the Blue Jays out of the abyss.

Thanks to that confidence, I was able to enjoy Halladay's moment in the sun. I know, it was actually raining in Washington, D.C., but, whatever. The point is: it's all worked out rather nicely. Considering what we've heard from the youthful Blue Jays pitching staff, they're glad they're not sharing a locker room with Halladay anymore. And I get that. Think about it: nobody wants to work with the most intense cat in the office. Especially when they're that much better than you. Toronto was no longer the time and place for Harry Leroy Halladay III. Philadelphia is.

I've gone through a bloody gamut of emotions when it comes to Doc. Anger. Sadness. Happiness. Elation, confusion, and bitterness, all in the aftermath of his perfect game. When the Jays and Phillies faced off in June, I wanted nothing more than for Toronto to pummel Doc. (Like how they slap around A.J. Burnett. It's fun!) But this -- Halladay Season in October -- is what I've always wanted. Since that fateful day in September, way back in 1998. While I never had any desire to go to the zoo with Roy Halladay, I sure as hell wanted to go to the playoffs with Roy Halladay.

The debate in Toronto has begun: Cincinnati or Philadelphia? Reds or Phillies? Canadian superstar Joey Votto, with a side of Scott Rolen, or Doc? Just last week, I'd have told you I wasn't sure which way I was leaning. But I know now, after watching Halladay celebrate with his Phillies teammates the way I always wanted him to celebrate in Toronto with the Blue Jays.

There's no doubt: Votto is special. But he's not Roy Halladay. He's not the pitcher whose starts I lived and died by, every five days, for more than a decade. I've waited far too long for Doc to pitch in the playoffs. To dominate on baseball's brightest stage. Your good friend and mine Sarah said it best: "Playoffs for Halladay are playoffs for me."

Get your ring, Doc. Go Phillies.

It's pointless that I have to tell you time and time again, but image courtesy of Reuters via daylife.

Roy For Cy

The fine Phillies fans of Philadelphia have taken to Twitter with a new campaign, one we're certainly familiar with in Toronto: #RoyForCy. And rightfully so. Doc's ERA, today a pristine 2.49, is the lowest of his career when he's thrown more than 200 innings. He's carrying an xFIP of 2.89, also the lowest of his career. His 8.05 strikeouts per nine innings pitched is the highest his ratio has ever been. Only 65 earned runs to his name. In 234.2 innings, no less. He's walked only 28 batters. His legendary cutter comes in 16.8 runs above average. His changeup, 5.5 runs above average, is the most successful it's ever been. Eight complete games. Three shutouts. One win shy of 20; a mere formality. Vintage Doc.

Harry Leroy Halladay III has dominated the National League. Like we knew he would. And therein lies the problem. It must be said: Doc's too good for the National League. He belongs in the American League.

Even though Toronto's starting pitching has been sublime this season, and even after watching Kyle Drabek throw utter filth at the Baltimore Orioles in his Major League debut, I'm clearly not over Halladay's departure. Perhaps I'll never be. I can't bloody buy in to the #RoyForCy campaign. Not as much as I should be able to. And for that I blame the Senior Sissy Circuit, and MLB's beyond-ridiculous divisional schedule.

Thanks to that schedule, Halladay's made 11 of his 31 starts -- 35% -- against the Florida Marlins, New York Mets, and Washington Nationals. Thirty-five-bloody-percent. Now, I know the Marlins and Mets are both, today, .500 ball clubs. They're playing .503 baseball, to be precise. But they're still the Marlins and Mets. And neither club has ever had a goddamn prayer against Roy Halladay.

Doc vs. the Florida Marlins:

5 GS, 4-1 W/L, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 38 IP, 2 BB, 41 K, 1.66 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, .210 BAA

Doc vs. the New York Mets:

4 GS, 4-0 W/L, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 31.2 IP, 2 BB, 28 K, 2.56 ERa, 0.82 WHIP, .207 BAA

Doc vs. the Washington Nationals:

2 GS, 2-0 W/L, 14 IP, 5 BB, 14 K, 0.64 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, .264 BAA

Doc's an artist. And by pitching in the National League against the chumps above, his talents cannot be fully appreciated. It's been far too easy. Throw in another two starts against the sad-sack Houston Astros; 16 innings, and only three earned runs.

I'll give Doc credit. I in no way, shape, or form mean to belittle what he's accomplished this season. Case in point, his exploits against the 83-wins Atlanta Braves:

2 GS, 2-0 W/L, 2 CG, 1 SHO, 18 IP, 2 BB, 14 K, 0.50 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, .164 BAA

In two complete game gems against Atlanta, Doc allowed one measly run. So cuttered, Atlanta. So goddamn cuttered.

That's what I want to see. Doc taking down the contenders. Not the pretenders. Unfortunately, that simply hasn't been the case. And I know it's not Doc's fault. He takes the ball every five days, no matter who he's up against. But only one start versus Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals? One start versus Adrian Gonzalez and the San Diego Padres? One start versus Buster Posey and the San Francisco Giants? For shame, baseball.

Ironically enough, Halladay got his ass handed to him in interleague play. (Except for owning the Toronto Blue Jays.) A start each against the Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins, and New York Yankees; all losses. Nineteen-and-two-thirds innings pitched, and 15 earned runs. Twenty-three percent of his season's total. I'd say he got used to pitching in the National League, wouldn't you?

What made Roy Halladay such a treat to watch in a Blue Jays uniform was the way he dominated the Yankees, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Red Sox, the Minnesota Twins, and the Chicago White Sox. He became the best, by pitching against the best, by never, ever backing down, year in and year out. Only four teams averaged more than four runs a game against Halladay over his career in the American League: Boston, Los Angeles, Oakland, and Texas. The Athletics and Rangers clearly got lucky.

I miss him. I miss watching Doc every fifth day. I can't wait to watch him take the mound in his first playoff game. I'm rooting for the Philadelphia Phillies to win the World Series. And while, based on his numbers, he does deserve the Cy Young, the award will never stand up to the Cy Young he won in 2003, when he faced the Red Sox, Yankees, Athletics, Twins, and Seattle Mariners -- who all won more than 90 games, and a combined 475 between them that season -- 15 times.

Not all Cy Young awards are created equal.

Image courtesy of daylife.

Stealing Home: 27 Outs, Vol 3: Doc

That should have been Lyle Overbay smiling like a buffoon. And John Buck, or Jose Molina, embracing Roy Halladay with sheer delight.

Just when I thought I was over the Halladay trade, just when I thought I was okay with him no longer pitching for us in Toronto, Doc goes and tosses a perfect game for his new team, the Philadelphia Phillies. And I'll always remember where I was when I heard the news.

Read all about my conflicted emotions in the aftermath of Doc's momentous occasion, and how I'm no longer conflicted, at GlobeSports.com.

I read an interesting link yesterday, about Doc's perfection. One fact stuck with me, and it's one I won't soon forget: more men (24 to 20) have orbited the moon than pitched a perfect game.

Congatulations, Doc.

Stealing Home: The Phanatics

The one and only Roy Halladay is in a better place, my friends. A place where he is revered, as I found out, and where he has a chance to win a World Series. And, to get his ring, I'm hoping he beats the New York Yankees. One more time. Except on the grandest stage of all.

Read all about my trip to Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, what Phillies fans had to say about our Doc, and the baseball tailgating experience at GlobeSports.com.

I'm off to Minneapolis from Chicago. Unfortunately, I'm leaving without Alex Rios's, or Justin Bieber's, autograph. Fail.

Talk soon. Thanks for following along on #TBRTOAL.

Stealing Home: Birds of a feather flock together

"Man, I hate the f**king Yankees."

- Random Baltimore Orioles fan

Those were the words which had me feeling, almost immediately, as if I belonged at Oriole Park in Camden Yards; as if I was, in a way, at home.

Read about how for one night, and one night only, I rooted for Baltimore's birds at GlobeSports.com.

And, yes, the baseball amphitheatre down in Maryland is just as magnificent you've imagined her to be. I'd highly recommend the Baltimore baseball experience.

Philly, Friday night. I'm not going to lie: it's going to be rough seeing all those Roy Halladay jerseys. Definitely not looking forward to that part.

Chicago on Saturday. Minnesota on Tuesday. #TBRTOAL continues ...

Toronto's Top 10

Because you haven't already been exposed to enough top 10 lists in the past few weeks, I give you ten moments that defined the sports decade in Toronto ...

#10. Mats Sundin Scores #500 - October 14, 2006

It wasn't that Mats Sundin became the 35th player in NHL history to score 500 goals that night. It was the way he did it: a shorthanded, overtime game-winning goal, to complete his hat-trick, and finish off the Calgary Flames. Vintage Sundin. In 612 regular season games over the course of the decade with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Sundin tallied 606 points. Forty-nine of his 259 goals were game-winners. On that autumn night in 2006 when Sundin became the first Swedish hockey player to score 500 goals in the NHL, he was cementing himself as arguably the greatest Toronto Maple Leaf to ever play the game.

#9. Dustin McGowan Takes A No-Hitter Into The 9th Inning - June 24, 2007

"It was just one of those days." That's how Dustin McGowan so eloquently put it, when he had Toronto Blue Jays fans on the edge of their seats on a sunny June afternoon back in 2007. Pitching against the Colorado Rockies, McGowan was tossing a no-hitter until the leadoff man in the 9th inning hit a single up the middle. Curse you, Jeff Baker. It was the closest a Toronto pitcher came to a no-hitter all decade, I believe. After the performance, Frank Thomas was singing the praises of McGowan, saying his might have been some of the nastiest "stuff" he'd ever seen. I don't know about you, but it breaks my heart all over again to know that injuries have stalled what looked like McGowan's very promising big-league career.

#8. Ohhhhhh Danny Dichio - August 12, 2007

When Major League Soccer announced it was expanding to Toronto in 2005, I'm not sure anyone expected Toronto FC to enjoy the rousing success they have in three short years on the pitch. I know, they haven't qualified for the playoffs in their youthful existence but, well, they're just trying to fit in. Expansion was announced in 2005, the club named in 2006, but TFC officially arrived on August 12, 2007, when Danny Dichio scored the club's first ever goal in its fifth game, and second at BMO Field, during the now infamous 24th minute. The rest, as they say, is history.

#7. The Toronto Raptors Win Their First Ever Playoff Series - May 4, 2001

After being swept by the New York Knickerbockers in the first round of the playoffs the season prior, the Toronto Raptors weren't going to let history repeat itself. Down two-to-one in the series, the Raptors took care of business at home and all that remained was game five, do-or-die, at Madison Square Garden. Led by Vince Carter and a gutsy performance from Alvin "Boogie" Williams, the Raptors pulled it off, 93-89, to take the series three games to two. It remains the only playoff series victory in franchise history.

#6. Kobe Bryant Drops 81 - January 22, 2006

From good times to bad. This one makes the list for all the wrong reasons, but on a cold January night, with Toronto on the road in Los Angeles, we witnessed history as Kobe Bryant scored 81 points on our defensively challenged Raptors. I remember watching this game with my brother in the basement of our old house in Scarborough. After scoring 26 points in the first half, Bryant went off for 27 in the third quarter. With 53 points heading into the fourth, we knew we were watching something special. Bryant finished 28 for 46 from the field; seven of 13 from beyond the arc. He hit 18 of 22 free throws, and averaged 1.9 points a minute that night. (He actually sat on the bench for six minutes.) Early in the third quarter, the Raptors were actually winning, 71-53. That's when Kobe took over. Bryant ended up outscoring Toronto 55-41 in the second half. Absolutely bloody ridiculous. A once-in-a-lifetime performance.

#5. Carlos Delgado Belts Four Home Runs - September 25, 2003

King Carlos. He was crowned at the SkyDome late in September 2003, after he became only the fifth American League player in baseball history to hit four home runs in one game. I watched the game at home that night, and shrieked with delight each time Delgado strode to the plate and went yard. Three solo shots and a three-run bomb; one of them off the Windows restaurant deep in centre field. Watching Delgado never got old. I never tired of seeing his beautiful swing make home run contact. A swing of beauty. A meaningless game on the schedule, but one I'll never forget. Do me a solid and bring him home, Alex Anthopoulos.

#4. Mats Sundin: The Greatest Maple Leaf Of All Time - October 11, 2007

With a third-period goal against the New York Islanders a couple of years ago, Mats Sundin killed two birds with one stone. It was the 390th goal of his Maple Leafs career, one more than the record held by Darryl Sittler. It was also the 917th point for Sundin in the blue and white. Again, one more than the beloved Sittler. Thirteen years after becoming a Toronto Maple Leaf, Sundin had finished rewriting the record books. As fate would have it, I was at the Air Canada Centre in attendance that night, thanks to a pair of free tickets I scored two hours before puck-drop. I'm not sure I'll ever hear the building as loud as it was that night, and I don't think I should. A fitting tribute for the best.

Honourable Mention: Mats Sundin's Homecoming - February 21, 2009

I paid $280 for two seats up top, in the purples. I was going to that game, come hell or high water. I would be there receive my captain. It didn't matter what sweater he was wearing. The ovation was fit for a king. The tickets worth every penny. Closure. She's a beautiful thing.

#3. The End Of An Era: Roy Halladay Traded To Philadelphia - December 14, 2009

I may have ranked this a little high atop the list for some people's liking. But that's only because the wounds are still so fresh. It's not the trade that makes this list, but the eight dominant years of Roy Halladay in Toronto that does. From 2002 to 2009, Doc was the best pitcher in the American League; the best pitcher in baseball. He was the Toronto Blue Jays. I believe only two pitchers are synonymous with the Blue Jays. Pre-World Series championships: Dave Stieb. Post-World Series championships: Harry Leroy Halladay III. There will never be another. Thanks Doc.

#2. Vinsanity - 2000-2004

What most people don't remember is that prior to the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, the competition had been put on layaway for two years. Vince Carter brought it back. He put Toronto, and the Raptors, on the map in the process. Carter, after hanging on the rim by his God damn elbow, made sure the Dunk Contest would never be the same. To this day, I can still hear Kenny Smith: "Let's go home!1 Let's go home, ladies and gentlemen, let's go home!1" I can still hear him asking for a timeout.

Those were good times. The early part of the decade was great. We were in love. I went out and bought my Carter jersey. I wore it with pride. Sure, there was the playoff defeat at the hands of the Knicks in 2000, but lessons were learned. The Raptors came back in 2001 and returned the favour. After the Knicks came Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers. I know you remember VC's buzzer-beater in Philly rimming out. What if Carter hadn't gone to his graduation ceremony that morning? What if he'd hit that shot? But brighter days were ahead.

Over the 2001 summer, Carter signed his 6-year, $94 million extension. He was in it for the long haul. He was hosting charity basketball games at the ACC, and buying nightclubs downtown. And then ... then it all fell apart. The injuries. The declaration that he'd never dunk again. The sulking. The allegations that he was helping the opposition. The trade request. The fight with Sam Mitchell. Finally, on December 17, 2004, divorce. Carter, traded to the New Jersey Nets, for Aaron Williams, Eric Williams, Alonzo Mourning and two first-round draft picks. Mourning would never play a game in a Raptors uniform. He was paid not to. The trade would set Toronto back years, and ruin the general managerial career of Rob Babcock. (It wasn't very promising to begin with.)

Carter is, of course, heartily booed whenever he returns to Toronto. Not because he's hated. No, because he's remembered. Fondly. Because we know we'll never see the likes of his talent on the floor again. Chris Bosh has been a model Raptor. Everything we could ask for. But he's no Vince Carter. Carter was the best. It's not often I agree with Dave Feschuk, but he's right: Carter is "the greatest raw athlete Toronto has ever seen ..."

#1. The Battle of Ontario - 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004

The Toronto Maple Leafs over the Ottawa Senators in the playoffs. Three seasons in a row, and four seasons out of five. For all intents and purposes, if I were to leave this world tomorrow, my Stanley Cup. Four rounds, right?

In 2000, it was the first-place Leafs in six games. The finishing blow came in Ottawa. On the road. In their house. A delicious way to get the rivalry started. In 2001, it got even better. The seventh-seeded Leafs were in tough against second-ranked Ottawa, especially after the Senators swept the regular season series. The result? A 4-0 Leafs sweep, with Toronto, led by Curtis Joseph, shutting out the Senators in the first two games of the series in Ottawa. No doubt adding to Senators fans' Toronto complex.

In 2002, the rivalry reached its climax. The teams met in the second round of the playoffs. The Maple Leafs were without their captain, Mats Sundin. You remember the series. When Gary Roberts took the Leafs on his back. When Alyn McCauley became a man. When Daniel Alfredsson hit Darcy Tucker with a cheap-shot from behind. Trailing 3-2 in the series, the Leafs made the trip to Ottawa. They fell behind early in game six. Down two goals, facing elimination, they rallied. And Ottawa choked. As only Ottawa can. The Leafs would go on to win game six 4-3, and game seven 3-0.

In 2004, the Leafs would win another seven game series. This time, Ed Belfour's turn to shut the door. He recorded a shutout in three of the four victories. Game seven, won by the good guys 4-1, was all about the heroics of Patrick Lalime. Another classic Ottawa choke job.

Four bitter playoff defeats have left their mark on Ottawa. The fanbase's existence is centred on its hatred for the city Toronto, its hockey team, and its fans. Ask a Senators supporter if they'd rather Ottawa have lost in the Stanley Cup final in 2007, or have beaten the Leafs once - just once - in the playoffs. If they choose the Stanley Cup final, they're lying. Thanks for the memories, Ottawa. They're precious.

Picture, all the way up top, courtesy of the always incredible "This isn't happiness."

Our Moment

If you’re anything like me, you’ve gone through a gamut of emotions since Roy Halladay became a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. Even though we knew the trade was coming. Anger. Self-loathing. Histrionics. Inebriated confusion. (Also known as #DocDrunk.) Even excitement; for Doc, and for the Blue Jays, as each embark on their next chapter. You’ve visited www.thanksroy.com a few times now, to let the world know that Doc is indeed The Greatest Blue Jay of All Time. If you’re anything like me, you're not over losing him just yet.

Looking back on the past eight years, as I watched Halladay dominate in baseball's better league and toughest division, I thought it beyond the realm of possibility to find one moment that defined Doc’s time in Toronto. But I have.

It was May 31st, 2007. The Chicago White Sox were in town. Mark Buehrle vs. Roy Halladay. Quickest baseball game of your life. A 2-0 Toronto final. In the 7th inning, which would end up being Halladay's last, Doc threw his world-renowned cutter to Darin Erstad who, like many before him, swung and missed. Running down-and-in on the left-handed hitting Erstad, it was the ankle-breaker. And down went Erstad. Ligament damage. Out of the game, and onto the 15-day disabled list. Doc doesn't have to hit you with his cutter to hurt you; that's how devastating the pitch is. And I'm not sure I'll ever see something like that again.

As I mentioned, Doc went only seven innings in the shutout victory, the 100th win of his career. For good reason. It was his first start since he had his appendix removed on May 11th, 19 days prior. Scheduled to miss a month, Doc returned in less than three weeks. The feat remains one of the strongest pieces of evidence in proving that Roy Halladay is actually a machine from the future.

Thanks Doc. See you in four years.

Make sure you check out the post over at Mop Up Duty: Greatest Roy Halladay Moments. Bring a Kleenex. It's OK to cry.

And I leave you with a most-pleasant statistic from ESPN's Jayson Stark, confirming what we in Toronto already knew: Doc truly is one of the best.

...the debate about the best pitcher in baseball these past eight years is over. It's Roy Halladay, friends. And hardly anybody else is even close. When Halladay has started a game since 2002, the Blue Jays have gone 149-89. That's a .654 winning percentage. In other words, when he's had the ball, they've played like a 106-win team. And just so you can put that in perspective, we've seen exactly eight teams with a winning percentage that high in the past 50 years. Eight.

No Regrets

"... I have no regrets about being here. I'll never look back and wonder."

- Roy Halladay

I believe I speak for us all when I say: we have no regrets either, Doc. Regardless of the high quality of prospect porn we receive in return. None. It's been a pleasure.

When I embarked on Mission: Doc, to watch every home Halladay start, this past summer, I had no idea this season would be Halladay's last in Toronto. The mission was simply something to do. The best pitcher in baseball, tossing in my hometown, and I can be in attendance for $10? Even I, a not-so-handsomely paid journalist, was all over that shit.

Life - a friend's wedding, the passing of my dear Grandmother, an extra shift or two at work - intervened along the way. As it always does. In the end, I took in 13 of 18 Halladay starts. I spent a lot of time at the SkyDome. I spent a lot of my hard-earned money on overpriced beer. And it was worth every penny. You will never hear me say, or read that I've written: "I wish I would have seen Roy Halladay pitch more often." No regrets. Truly The Greatest Blue Jay Of All-Time.

The tributes - The Tao of Stieb, Hum and Chuck, The Blue Jay Hunter, Go Jays Go - are beginning to roll in and, in what will I think be a trend amongst Toronto writers, it isn't about the statistics. It never was. It's about what Doc stood for. For the franchise. For the city of Toronto. As Dirk Hayhurst so eloquently put it, baseball is about more than "just a bunch of numbers," and there's nobody who personifies that statement more than Roy Halladay.

Thanks for the memories, Doc. A quietly-crazy baseball town mourns your departure, and wishes you nothing but good fortunes; wishes you nothing but the ring you so covet. It's nothing personal, just business. It had to be done. I get it. Life is all about timing, and ours simply didn't match up. Get yours.

Celebrating Excellence

One day, I will tell my unborn children about the legend that is Harry Leroy Halladay III. They will learn how Doc dominated baseball's toughest division, throwing complete game after complete game, while forever protecting the honour of his teammates.

Thanks to a ball aimed at the bulbous David Ortiz, with Boston having clinched a playoff spot, and the Toronto Blue Jays once again playing out the stretch, the legend of Doc grew to larger than life proportions on a chilly autumn night in September. No matter the standings, and no matter the score, Roy Halladay will let no one, especially not Jonathan Papelbon, take advantage of his team.

The incredible irony of it all: it went down in what might have been Halladay's final start as a Toronto Blue Jay. Poetic, no? Doc could have been ejected, but it certainly didn't matter to him.

If it was goodbye, Doc ended the Toronto chapter of his career the only way he possibly could have: with a complete game shutout in Fenway Park. And that's how I'll remember him. As the man who brought the Evil Empires to their knees.

We all thought we couldn't possibly respect, adore, and appreciate Roy Halladay any more than we already did. We were wrong.

I’ve said my piece about Mats Sundin. Over and over and over and over again. I also said goodbye, back in February.

So it was with less of a heavy heart than expected that I learned that Sundin had officially hung up his skates for good.

First: relief. There will be no repeat of last year’s “will he or won’t he?” fiasco.

Second: rage. The garbage spewn about on Twitter after Sundin’s announcement is not worth linking to. It only reaffirms the fact that there are a legion of so-called Leafs fans whom I want absolutely nothing to do with. If you chose the day Sundin officially left the game as yet another day to bash him, you’ll never fully grasp what he accomplished as a Toronto Maple Leaf. (Read: You're an idiot.)

Finally: adulation. I felt, and still feel, the urge to scale Toronto’s highest building and yell at the top of my lungs: “Mats Sundin: Greatest Maple Leaf of All-Time!!!!1” I'm thinking my balcony will be suffice.

Many great men – Wendel Clark and Doug Gilmour in particular – have worn the “C” in Toronto. Sundin was better than both of them, and he will always be my captain.

Thanks for the memories, Mats.

Until We Meet Again

I didn't go to the game. I didn't even watch it. Last night, for the first time, I saw Roy Halladay dominate a box score. Inning by inning, strikeout after strikeout. In the end, another complete game shutout.

And it won't be the last at the SkyDome. I believe Roy Halladay will be a Toronto Blue Jay in 2010.

For some inexplicable reason, I have faith in the plan Paul Beeston is shortly due to unveil. I know; I have no reason to. I know absolutely nothing about it. Nobody does. Yet I remain unhinged. Rumours of a $120 million dollar payroll were enough to make me believe that will indeed be the case. Like George Costanza said: "Jerry, just remember, it's not a lie if you believe it."

Pat Gillick as president? Again, I know, the franchise shouldn't continue delving back into the past. It's not a healthy way to live. But I'm all over it. If I've learned anything over the years as a Blue Jays and Maple Leafs fan, it's that my nostalgia quota can never be filled.