News
Doc willing to help young starters
Toronto ace will give advice to teammates when asked
By Erika Gilbert / MLB.com
08/27/09 2:01 PM ET
TORONTO -- Roy Halladay can be an intimidating figure. The Blue Jays' 6-foot-5 ace is known for having a full repertoire of pitches that he can command with pinpoint accuracy, a virtually unmatched work ethic, and a competitive drive that pushes him to attack every hitter with an intensity one can see in his eyes as he stares down his opponents.It can be a frightening combination for those standing in the batter's box against Halladay.
But sometimes even Halladay's teammates can be cautious about approaching him. Part of the reason for Halladay's dominance as a pitcher is his strict commitment to an established routine that those familiar with the team know not to disrupt. Some young pitchers have felt slightly intimidated by the veteran ace.
Yet those who know the 32-year-old Halladay say businesslike commitment to his work should not be confused with an unwillingness to lend time to his teammates. Members of the Jays' coaching staff and fellow pitchers alike have said that Halladay, nicknamed "Doc," will make himself available to the younger hurlers on the club's staff if they come to him for advice.
"There are some superstars or Hall of Famers who would tell you to [buzz] off if you came and asked them something, but Doc is not that way," Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said. "If you asked him a question, he would try to answer it.
"He doesn't go to these kids and talk to them, but if they talk to him I'm pretty sure he'll talk to them."
Rookie left-hander Ricky Romero -- in the midst of a season that could put him in contention for the American League Rookie of the Year Award -- knows as well as anyone what it's like, as a young pitcher, to go to Halladay for help while keeping in mind the minimal free time the veteran's strict schedule leaves him.
"He's a guy that you kind of want to stay out of the way, but at the same time if you have a question, I've been able to approach him with no problem," Romero said. "I've never been a guy who likes to get in people's way. I like to do my own business and learn by watching everyone else -- not just Doc, but the older guys that have been here. That's what I do -- just kind of stay out of his way. Now, obviously, we've been together for a couple months already, and if I have something to talk about, I'll go ask him.
"As the season has gone on, he's become a more approachable guy."
The Blue Jays knew going into this year that Halladay would be the only veteran in the rotation, which has only gotten younger as injuries have forced the club to dig deeper and deeper into their farm system for prospects to fill the holes that have popped up throughout the year.
Along with Romero and fellow rookie Scott Richmond, who were both on the big league roster on Opening Day, Brett Cecil and Marc Rzepczynski -- both of whom had never thrown a pitch in the Majors before this year -- now make up Toronto's rotation behind Halladay.
The Jays' ace said in Spring Training that he didn't want to get caught up in acting as a mentor to the team's young pitchers, insisting that his commitment to the work schedule that would allow him to pitch at his best remained his No. 1 priority.
| "You can't force-feed guys [advice]. I think they have to want it, and you wait and see who wants it." |
| -- Roy Halladay |
"You can't force-feed guys," Halladay said. "I think they have to want it, and you wait and see who wants it, and that's why, for me, Ricky's been a positive."
While his teammates have said that Halladay is willing to answer their questions without making them feel as though they're a burden to him, the veteran said he appreciates their respect for his routine and their effort not to get in his way.
"I think in some cases that's how it should be," Halladay said with a smile. "I know Pat had his schedule and Roger had his schedule, and my job as a young player was to watch them and learn. And I think that's part of it. You have to understand that ... you need a routine. You have to have something that you do every day.
"We can talk, but for me, I respected what they did and I decided, 'You know what? This is something I want to be a part of, and I want to learn about it, and I'm going to go find out.' And the guys who have come up to me have done that.
"A lot of people have changed. That part's been tough. But I think Ricky and Zep, they've done a great job of kind of learning how to do things the right way."
While the Jays' rookie pitchers know that Halladay would like them to respect his schedule, Gaston doesn't want them to be intimidated by the ace, or avoid talking to him for fear of being a nuisance. Gaston wants them to soak up as much of Halladay's experience and knowledge as possible -- to avoid making the same mistake a young Gaston made in his playing days.
As a member of the Atlanta Braves, Gaston roomed with former home run king Hank Aaron -- Gaston's childhood idol -- but never talked to Aaron about hitting.
"I figured I'd be bugging him and he'd kick me out of the room," Gaston said.
When the two former roommates worked together in the Braves organization after their playing careers were over, Gaston confessed to Aaron his reluctance to approach the elder player for advice.
"As we look back about it and I talk to him about it, he says, 'Hey, you could have talked to me any time,'" Gaston said. "So that was my fault. That was my mistake. [I] probably could've figured out how to hit a lot earlier in life if I did."
Romero, for one, has made sure not to repeat Gaston's error. He's talked to Halladay about topics ranging from pitch grips to the proper mental approach when behind in the count.
"I actually talk a lot about the mental side of the game, and we've actually talked some pitches," Romero said. "I'm starting to learn how to throw a cutter and he's a guy who throws the cutter for a living. We've been kind of talking about it, trying to learn his grip and everything. He's been pretty helpful for me so far.
"That's the crazy thing that I didn't realize -- he actually likes talking baseball. He likes talking the game when you actually approach him."
Gaston has one simple piece of advice for Romero and the other rookies on the staff as far as Halladay is concerned.
"Those kids should go to him and talk to him."
Erika Gilbert is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
