Roy Halladay offers an eloquent and resonant take on the state of the Phillies
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Roy Halladay offers an eloquent and resonant take on the state of the Phillies
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
A professional athlete's psychological exterior can sometimes appear impenetrable, particularly when that professional athlete is Harry Leroy Halladay. But every so often a crack appears, and you are reminded that even a once-in-a-generation player is not immune to the psychological stresses that afflict the members of the general population. One of those moments occurred on Tuesday night, as Halladay stood amidst a gaggle of microphones and notepads and cameras and admitted what should be obvious to us all. The Phillies are pressing. Halladay. Hunter Pence. Shane Victorino. All of them. A six-week slog through low-scoring losses and jarring headlines and crescendoing boos has taken its toll on this team, and I get the sense that we have reached a juncture that could prove to be one of the more dramatic turning points of this season.
Halladay spoke in his usual measured tone, but it was tinged with a sort of pleading honesty as he provided one of the more accurate and eloquent summations of the state of the team.
"The first two months have been tough for all of us," he said. "You do everything you can to fix it, and that's it. I think it gets back to going out and trying to play a little bit more loose and focus on your job. I think we've got, including myself, a lot of guys that are going out and trying to carry the weight of the team, and you can't play that way, and I think we've seen that. I think everybody is trying to pick up slack for what we may not be doing or guys we may be missing and all that, and that only seems to compound the problem. You put it behind you, but I think a lot of us just need to go out and play the game and have fun playing the game. You start pressing and you start trying to do things that you don't need to do and it makes things worse.
"Charlie says it all the time. You do it because you want to, not because you have to. I think it's hard when things aren't going the way you want them to go, but that's how you play the game, and ultimately it is a game, and I think that's important to remember. It's tough to do in places like this, where fans expect a lot, media expect a lot, players expect a lot, but I think it's important to try and find a way to keep that in mind and try to go out and play that way regardless of your own expectations and everyone elses. You've got to get to just playing the game and enjoying playing the game."
At times, Halladay seemed to be addressing all persons involved, from his teammates to us in the media to the front office. He is a player who likes to lead by example, and it is a hell of an example. But, he was asked, would he ever choose to deliver the message in a closed-door setting?
"Yeah, I would," Halladay said with a bit of uncertainty in his voice. "I think finding the right time to do that is tough. Guys are beating themselves up and you have a bad day and it's not necessarily the thing you want to hear or anybody else wants to hear. And it doesn't even have to be a team gathering. Just talking to guys and being teammates. We've got a good group. We've got a great chemistry. We've played good at times, and we haven't at times, and it's just a matter of going out and enjoying it. The more we press, it's not going to take care of itself. You prepare as well as you can and go out and let it all hang out."
Halladay seemed bothered by home plate umpire Gary Cederstrom's decision to eject Carlos Ruiz from the game with two outs in the Nationals' four-run third inning. According to both Halladay and Charlie Manuel, Ruiz told Cederstrom that he thought an 0-1 pitch to Danny Espinosa was a strike, then turned around to look at the ump.
"He didn't turn around, he didn't get in his face, he didn't use obscene language," Halladay said. "He simply said the pitch was a strike. He said it a couple times. I don't know. I've never seen one like that before. And it's unfortunate, because he's our best player and he gets run out of the game, really for saying a pitch is a strike. I've never seen one like that."
What struck me most was the way Halladay labelled Ruiz as the Phillies' "best player." He did so off-handedly, as if there was no doubt about it. At this moment, there really isn't a doubt. But I don't know that I have ever heard anybody outside of the media or the fanbase refer to Ruiz as the Phillies' "best player." Most underrated player, definitely. Most valuable player, at times. Most likeable player, almost always. But "best" is a description that does not come with a qualification. It is a recognition of pure talent, and anytime an athlete on the level of Roy Halladay labels somebody the best at something, it deserves a special note. If the Phillies are going to turn this thing around and rid themselves of the existential weight that seems to be strapped on top of their shoulders, it is guys like Halladay and Ruiz who are going to lead the way.
Heading into a four-game series against the team that ended their 2011 season and sent them into the sprial from which they now must emerge, it will be fascinating to see how these Phillies respond.
Diekman looked terrific but using for 5 batters probably means not available for today. Brillant!...No question Chooch best among position players at this time. Should we start calling him Mr Chooch? Pence is just too overaxious at plate. Dont enjoy being critical of someone who gives 110% but he's not going to see many hittable pitches if he keeps going out of strikezone. Mgt. has to get it to him somehow. Then again Hunter has probably been hearing it many times.— Don w- Obviously Holliday is talking about a certain lack of leadership by example on this team. I think Utley provided that quietly for years. How many times have we seen Utley take a walk to allow Howard to get all those RBI's when another player may have been swinging for the fences to up his own numbers. I think Utley was the model of a team player, and this team right now, is not playing as a team. For example, if Chooch is the best player, then why isn't Pence taking a lot more pitches. Pence has to realize this is not Houston. He doesn't have to do it all. Pence is a very good baseball player, he doesn't have to try and swing for the fences every at bat.— Ron
- Looks like every other GM in the league knew something when they did NOT bid for Rollins ... $10M per is generous for a good field, no hit shortstop. The biggest problem though is waiting for godot like (sorry to go literary) obsession with the return of Howard and Utley. If they play at all, they will not be the same players they were even two years ago much less four. Time to rebuild. They have quality position players in Victorino, Pence and Ruiz. If Victorino goes, oh well. Stuck with Howard's monster deal and Rollins for two more years. Anyone else who can go should. No more waiting for Mayberry and Brown. Get some real bench players. Convince Chase it's time to open a dog shelter. Just as in 93, Monty got sentimental and gave huge deals based on past success.— boomartin
- I feel for Halladay. He wants to win. But the Phillies seem just as interested in the "entertainment" provided by Rollins.— AvoidSundanceVacations
Comment removed.- Everyone and their mother knows Chooch is our best hitter right now, everyone but Chollie. He should be batting 4th with pence in the 3 or 5 hole where he is most comfortable. Pu— Trot
- Everyone and their mother knows Chooch is our best hitter right now, everyone but Chollie. He should be batting 4th with pence in the 3 or 5 hole where he is most comfortable. Pu— Trot
- Everyone and their mother knows Chooch is our best hitter right now, everyone but Chollie. He should be batting 4th with pence in the 3 or 5 hole where he is most comfortable. Pu— Trot
- Everyone and their mother knows Chooch is our best hitter right now, everyone but Chollie. He should be batting 4th with pence in the 3 or 5 hole where he is most comfortable. Pu— Trot
- Everyone and their mother knows Chooch is our best hitter right now, everyone but Chollie. He should be batting 4th with pence in the 3 or 5 hole where he is most comfortable. Pu— Trot
- The best thing I read in Roy's words is the frequently forgotten "it IS a game" statement. Roy Halladay is the perfect messenger to get this across to the team. Things may get worse with the Phils before they get better, but if they can go out there to PLAY, their natural ability will win out. Events like the ludicrous ejection of Chooch (which so accurately describes the unprofessional, confrontational behavior of most umpires today) - just HAVE to be ignored. I know it so easy to say, but guys - you are far too good for this! RELAX!— dwp66
- There's really no way to defend Ruiz for getting tossed. In the baseball book of unwritten rules, the catcher isn't supposed to look back at the umpire and hold up the game to argue. Ruiz was probably right about the bad calls but those unwritten rules will do it all the time.— AvoidSundanceVacations
- Two quotes over the past year succinctly and accurately place the proper perspectiver on baseball. Doc daid "... ultimately it is a game...". Let's not lose sight of that fact. IT IS NOT the health and well being of your family, or the security of the country....IT IS a game. Fun to watch, great to have some fun hearted, maybe intense discussions about it, but........it is a game, it is not life.
That reminded me of remarks by Cliff Lee last year after some tragic injuries around the league that occured when people risked their lives to catch or retrieve foul balls. Lee reminded us, "Guys, it is just a baseball!" Exactly it is just a baseball, from just a GAME! Live your life people........don't live it vicariously through the wins and losses of Philly sports teams.
BTW, thanks for the effort and entertainment, Doc, Cliff, Chooch, and every last Phillie.— uppdben - These guys are in total denial. This team isnt pressing rather This team stinks! Pierre,polunco,vic,Pence,Mayberry,Ruiz,Fontenot ,Galvis. Sorry guys but that is a very lineup, a last place lineup.
Someone on WIP nailed. There has been a culture of losing that has slowly but surely infected this team. Part of it is due to injuries. Part of it is Rube stockpiling this roster with bad baseball players fromlosingorganizations.Schneider,Valdez,Martinez,Herndon,Qualls,Francisco,Nix,Wiggington etc.. But that is the nature of the beast when overpaid players like Lee,Halladay,Howard are making a combined $70 M a year.— joe smith - There are a lot of things which have contributed to this mess. "A culture of losing" sure isn't one of them, though. The WIP guy didn't "nail" anything although he may have been hammered when he called.
— Sam Crow
