One man's theory on Halladay's dehydration
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One man's theory on Halladay's dehydration
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
CHICAGO -- Charlie Manuel spoke in hyperbole at first, saying he had seen baseball played in 125- or 130-degree weather. Then he noted a game earlier this season.
"We played in Washington earlier this year, and he pitched, and it was maybe hotter there," Manuel said. "The humidity might have been a little worse today, but it was 103 there."
Actually, it was 92 degrees at first pitch May 30, the day Roy Halladay grinded seven innings against the Nationals in stifling D.C. heat. That game was played during the day and it was especially hot. During the game, Halladay ran back to the Phillies clubhouse to completely change his uniform because it was so drenched in sweat.
"I don't know what helps when it gets that hot," Halladay said that day.
He is a meticulous worker, lauded for his routine and intense workouts. Halladay has often said he wants game day to be his easiest day. That's what the routine ensures: No surprises.
That made Monday at Wrigley Field all the more shocking. As Rich Dubee aptly summarized the evening, "He's the last guy you'd expect something like this to happen."
Then, unprompted, Dubee discussed a theory of his.
"I'm not making excuses but I've said it before, guys who go to the All-Star Game, they come back a little drained," Dubee said. "It's a busy three days. You look at [Mets outfielder Carlos] Beltran now with the flu. Doc tonight. That first week back the guys don't generally respond too well. It's a hectic schedule. You fly into another time zone, you have banquets, and there's a lot to it.
"This guy takes tremendous care of himself."
That is why Dubee, possibly, is searching for something to pinpoint the dehydration. It's not an implausible theory. Check out Halladay's pitching lines in his first start back from the All-Star break over the past five seasons:
2007 at BOS: 5 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 122 PIT
2008 at TB: 6 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, 96 PIT
2009 vs. BOS: 9 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 105 PIT
2010 at CHC: 6 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 87 PIT
2011 at CHC: 4 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 69 PIT
There's one very good start in there, a complete game against Boston in 2009 -- which just so happens to be the other season Halladay started the All-Star Game. No, there's not enough for causation here, but it's an interesting theory nonetheless.
Dubee was wary of Halladay and his other aces pitching in the All-Star Game because he viewed this as a time for the heavily used arms to rest. He slotted Halladay and Cliff Lee at the back of the rotation in the second half to allow for an extra day.
Because of that, both Halladay and Lee will not face the San Francisco Giants when they arrive at Citizens Bank Park next week for an NLCS rematch. (Somewhere, Bruce Bochy cackles.) Dubee said even before Halladay's abbreviated night he planned on utilizing Thursday's off day for another breather. Every pitcher will start on an extra day of rest.
It didn't help Halladay on Monday. But nothing, not even his grueling workout or dedicated planning, could keep him on the mound at Wrigley.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
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one of the problems with having such a great pitching staff is that all we talk about is the great pitching staff.
let's take a quick look at what the offense did last night: squat. that could have been satchel paige out there... it wouldn't have mattered. six runs is not a ridiculous amount for an offense that is paid what our is paid to overcome. and they didn't even try.— tockeyhockey- oh, and one other thing: having the all star game in arizona probably contributed to dehydration. i used
to travel out west a lot, and the dry air in the plane plus the dry air in the atmosphere really can take its toll.— tockeyhockey - I agree 100%. I use to fly to AZ all the time. First time I was out there, between the flight and a 3 hour bus ride, by the time I got to my desination I was sick. I couldn't figure out why. Turns out I was dehydrated. It's a sneaky dehydration out there. — piercit
- Wrong, Dubee....It's probably Halladay's routine between starts that got him; next Saturday, you and Scott Sheridan should tell him that his workout will be replaced with hydration clinic; that means making sure he puts enough electolytes in his body the day BEFORE his start ( and the morning of); it doesn't matter how you do it ( Gatorade, pickle juice, whatever) but he was probably dehydrated before he took the mound.If he pays attention to staying hydrated on Saturday, he should be fine Sunday.— drbob1
The answer is Hydration H20— Kevinmac- stop with rich dubee.— manly
- It's not Bochy who's to blame for Halladay's illness last night. Dubee, Manuel, and Halladay himself drive the man for an entire season, flaunting his work ethic and stamina, and then whine when the pitcher is given the honor of starting an All-Star game for a mere 2 innings. You can't have it both ways. If Dubee cares so much about Halladay, he should have seen the obvious physiological distress early in the game last night when the conditions made such a reaction very possible. Halladay succumbed to dehydration because of the heat and because of the way he pushes himself. If there's any irresponsibility or lack of sportsmanship, it lies with Dubee and Manuel, not the manager of an opposing team who earned the right to deploy his All-Star pitching staff in the way most likely to earn a victory for the NL. If the Phillies win the NLCL this year, they have Bochy to thank for the home field advantage!— SFGConnoisseur
Comment removed.- While it's probably overplayed by Dubee with regard to Halladay, I think the All Star Game is just a massive waste. It's midseason, players overall are getting tired, this year they go to Arizona (really? MLB chooses AZ in the summer? Why not just have it in Miami in July?), where I'm sure there's some amount of imbibing, little sleep, and then they throw them back on a plane a day later.
I think Roy just had a bad game, but the AS is a waste. When a team invests 10's of millions into the players that make it to the AS Game, it's just a stupid idea.— donde - I went to a banquet two weeks ago, man, am I bushed.— PhillyGrog
- The Bochy angle is weak. Halladay threw 19 pitches in the All Star Game which is nothing . Last night should be chalked up to just one of those things that happen in life.. Give Roy plenty of fluids and let him recover and he'll be fine for his next outing. Move on people.— bradco
- lots of variables, heat, humididty, multiple time zones within one week, virus, dehydration, ...he's human...but he's still the man...anyone who doubts that does so because they do not have to face him— reasonableihope
- God dammit, the fricken Giants should have gotten Hamels, Halladay and Lee. Now we understand why Bochy did what he did.— vejjev
- Comment removed.
- Lots of theories, but only Roy knows why what happened, happened; still could have been a better game with timely hittinmg by RH and RI and better pitching by the pen...— M60tanker
