Roy Halladay says he will pitch 320 innings if it means winning a World Series
Roy Halladay talks about his own mortality, and his reluctance to test the free agent waters.
Roy Halladay says he will pitch 320 innings if it means winning a World Series
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Some more good stuff from Roy Halladay's press conference today. He was asked if he is concerned at all about his workload given the fact that he will likely be a free agent after this season.
Not surprisingly, the veteran righthander said he was not worried.
"I'm playing to win a World Series," Halladay said. "That's why I'm playing baseball. For no other reason. Period. However we get to that goal, to me, that's the bottom line. If it takes 320 innings and I can throw that many, I'm going to throw it. That's the reason I'm here. For me, that's it. I'm not worried about next year, I'm not worried about two years, three years from now. I'm worried about trying to win a World Series."
Halladay is in the final year of a three-year, $60 million contract that will expire as long as he does not pitch at least 259 innings, which would trigger a vesting option.
Still, Halladay says he can't envision himself going back on the open market, despite the fact that there has been no dialogue between him and the Phillies.
"I think if I have my druthers I would be here until I'm done," he said. "As good as they've been to me, I think they realize that I would be as good to them as I could be. So going forward, if that that was the case, I really can't see myself playing anywhere else. I don't want to play anywhere else. I feel like you want to play somewhere as long as you can where you feel like you are wanted…I don't want to play anywhere else."
Halladay, as usual, was thoughtful when he pondered his own mortality. He talked about some conversations he had with Chris Carpenter on their annual fishing trip in early December. Last week, news broke that Carpenter was facing possible retirement because of a nerve problem that will likley prevent him from pitching this season.
"We really kind of had both had the same mindset," Halladay said. "I know when he came back and he played for St. Louis, he thought he was done after he had the surgery in Toronto. He didn't know that he was going to play again. So the five years he got there, I think, was a blessing for him and I think he never took that for granted and I think he was satisfied with what he put into the game and I feel the same way. You never know when it is going to go away, but you don't want to have that regret that, man, I wasted this year or this year or whatever. I think that's the biggest thing for both of us. Neither of us knew when it would end for either of us, but the big thing is, we talked about doing things the right way and having no regrets. He has none and I know I have none, and hopefully I'm not sitting here anytime soon saying I'm done playing, but I think that's a big thing in this game, you never want to look back and wish you would have done something different."
He first must stop looking like a batting practice pitcher in first innings of games.— farley- You can get an extension right now if you took far less cash. It's not the Phillies who control your fate, You do— twpman
- I feel bad for him because he pitched great in 2010 and 2011 but the team didn't do its part. Hopefully this year it will come together.— Phillies2008WSChamps
- I respect Doc. I saw the young Doc beat the Yanks in the old stadium. It was a great old timers day. He may have lost something because of the way he has been used, but he is a gutty pitcher that sacrificed to be a Phillie. The GM let him down by putting a subpar team around him. Doc and Lee may have beaten the Yanks. Why RAJ?— wmontanez27
- Willie: Great post! And yes, if RAJ should be skewered alive for anything, it was the stupid move of Lee to Seattle. IMO, it cost us a chance of a WS and our comparison to the great Cincinnati Reds- Big Red Machine teams of the 70's. Indeed, why RAJ???
Great handle, Wmontanez27. One of my favorite Phils. Can still see him coming up to the plate, flipping that bat end over end! Hated to see him go, but getting a Secretary of Defense in return was not a bad deal, after all! - "I think if I have my druthers I would be here until I'm done," he said. "As good as they've been to me, I think they realize that I would be as good to them as I could be. So going forward, if that that was the case, I really can't see myself playing anywhere else. I don't want to play anywhere else. I feel like you want to play somewhere as long as you can where you feel like you are wanted…I don't want to play anywhere else.
Well said by Roy. For all the true long time suffering fans, can you ever remember a time when a top line, HOF type pitcher said that about our team? No. Instead we watched as a HOF pitcher like Schilling said he'd rather pitch for someone else. Hamels and Lee share the same sentiment as Roy, as both took less money to come here. This team always had a good vibe surrounding it, thanks to some great ballplayers, a beloved manager who they respect, a respected ownership group and the best fans and ball park in baseball. Looking forward to Roy signing here and retiring as a Phil. Anything else will be a disappointment. I better lay off the Nyquil or some of the negative nellies will accuse me of being Scott Palmer! Let's get it on! :) - He needs to rebound this year, or else the only teams that will want his services will be independent ones that are just looking for name draws. Set him up a game against Clemons why don't we...with Canseco.— ocpizza
- ocpizza: You are so wrong. Even if Halladay repeats his 2012 this year -- I sure hope he doesn't -- just about every team in baseball would give him a two-year deal. The only question is the price and Halladay would command $10 million to $15 million per year, even if he struggles again this season.
— therealeman 
This is Roy's contract year. I would expect nothing less than the statement he made. If I lived in Roy's brain, at his age and the fact that his best friend, the guy that beat him in "that" game, and the fact that he's pitched his heart out for years, Roy's probably praying that the pain stays away. The Phillies have cut loose their best lefty ("Lefty") after a more stellar career. It wouldn't surprise me if Roy, unless he turns it around, is cut loose, Carlton-style.- Go Roy-this is our year!!— philsfansince1946
