Phillies Manager Ryne Sandberg said that Roy Halladay was not battling an illness and he was not sure about Halladay's next start. Then Roy Halladay said that he was battling an illness:
Roy Halladay admitted to battling an illness related to his diet that was just recently diagnosed based on family history.
— Matt Gelb (@magelb) September 24, 2013
Tonight's start was reminiscent of other Halladay starts. Those were blamed on heat; think of the July 2011 start in Chicago where a sweaty, laboring Halladay got beat up by the Cubs. Halladay threw just 16 pitches, walking two and getting just one out. That out will be Halladay's last in 2013, as Halladay told reporter Matt Gelb that he was done pitching for the year.
As noted in today's game preview, Halladay's last start featured velocity in the 86-89 mile-per-hour range. Tonight's velocity registered at just 83 miles-per-hour, reported MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. With a surgically repaired shoulder, Halladay's future feels even less certain than the day Halladay went under the knife. What could the Phillies (or any other team for that matter) conclude from this body of work?
Halladay is no quitter, so expect him to look for work. One would expect Halladay to spend the offseason meticulously preparing in his Dunedin, Florida home. Though 30 teams would have clamored for Halladay's services just a couple years ago, Halladay probably will have to audition for teams. Thanks to tonight's disclosure, the "family illness" of which Halladay speaks will have to be made clear, too.
The Phillies have Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez signed to pitch in 2014. Jonathan Pettibone is lurking around, and Adam Morgan had a nice second half in AAA; Kyle Kendrick could be under Phillies control if they wish to tender him a contract. John Lannan, too, is under Phillies control for one more year if they want (they probably don't). If the Phillies were willing to commit to uncertainty, they have plenty of that with potential for a greater upside in their young starters or the younger-than-Halladay arbitration-eligible Lannan and Kendrick.
In short, this is probably the end. Thanks for the memories, Roy.
