Halladay Last of Dying Breed

While the Lakers were busy closing out the Phoenix Suns in what should have been the most interesting sporting event on TV this weekend (sorry French Open, it's still Tennis), Roy Halladay dominated the Florida Marlins en route to throwing the 20th Perfect Game in MLB history.

At 7-3 with a 1.99 ERA, Halladay is once again proving to be one of the best pitchers in baseball. The more exciting part is to see this accomplishment by one of the last throw back pitchers in the majors. In the model of Greg Maddux, Nolan Ryan, Warren Spahn and Bob Gibson, Halladay is an innings eater with a fixation for throwing deep into ball games. While Maddux and Ryan couldn't be much more dissimilar, neither wanted to see the closer warming behind them to close out a game. Halladay takes pride in the same approach. In an era when middle relievers are paid millions and four runs over 5 2/3 justifies a quality start, it's refreshing to see someone like Halladay. While others like Livan Hernandez are known to jump into 120 and 130 on pitch counts, no one else maintains mastery of both velocity and control so late in the game.

Without sounding like a toothless traditionalist with my mind in the 1950's, it was only a generation ago when teams carried four-man rotations and pitchers traditionally went late in games. The last 30-game winner was Denny McLain in 1968 and no one has come close in the last fifteen years. Cy Young winners can now win half as many games (Tim Lincecum, 15-7 in 2009) and still hoist pitching's most prominent award. The last Cy Young winners to even have 30 decisions were both in 1996 (Pat Hentgen, John Smoltz). While Halladay certainly won't win 30 games this year, and is unlikely to finish with 30 decisions, he will be a bullpen saver and put the brakes on a losing streak.

Ubaldo Jimenez look out, Roy Halladay is coming for you.