Roy Halladay, Toronto Blue Jays Continue Dominance

The Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series in 1992, then again in 1993 on Joe Carter’s infamous game-winning home run in Game Seven against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Since these glory years, the Blue Jays have not made the postseason, left in the dust by the America League East’s juggernauts, the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and, most recently, the Tampa Bay Rays.

Toronto, tired of looking up at these teams, has made every effort to not only join this elite group, but nab the top spot. Their determination to succeed has paid off so far this season, as they lead the division by 2 1/2 games with a 26-14 record. T

heir torrid start is surprising, but their bevvy of young talent combined with wily veterans, it is not entirely unexpected.

Roy “Doc” Halladay is no longer the lone consistently efficient pitcher in the rotation. He has been a workhorse, averaging seven innings per start, and has eight wins, a 2.78 Earned Run Average, and a 1.03 WHIP (Walks+Hits per Inning Pitched).

Yet, his numbers haven’t flown under the radar as past years, primarily because the rest of the pitching staff has given him a helping hand, making for a dynamic pitching staff and a successful team.

Rookie six-foot, five-inch righthander Scott Richmond, Halladay’s sidekick, has struggled in his past two starts, allowing 10 runs in 9 2/3 innings, but, overall, has pitched very well. The Blue Jays won his first five starts, and he proved victorious in four of them, relinquishing just nine earned runs in 31 1/3 innings.

His 4.28 ERA is deceiving, since he has a complete game to his credit, as well as three other stellar outings under his belt.

Richmond, 29, attended a high school in Northern Vancouver, British Columbia that did not have a baseball team, so he played amateur baseball throughout Canada. He then attended two community colleges–Missouri Valley and Bossier Parrish–before transferring to Oklahoma State University.

He spent two years there, and didn’t compile very impressive numbers. Because of this, and since he was 25 by the time he graduated, he was undrafted. He continued to pursue a career in baseball, playing for the Edmonton Cracker-Cats of the Independent Northern League for three seasons.

After spending his first two seasons as a reliever, Richmond moved into Edmonton’s starting rotation in 2007. He led the team in wins with ten, and was named their pitcher of the year. After his contract ran out, he jumped at the chance to tryout in front of major league scouts.

One team in particular, the Blue Jays, was impressed with his performance. So much so that they signed him to a minor league contract and, after he split time with their Double-A and Triple-A affiliates, called him up to the major leagues midseason.

He made one start–5 1/3 innings, 7 hits, 3 runs, no walks, 4 strikeouts, taking the loss–then was sent down. He was recalled in September once the Blue Jays were out of contention, and didn’t disappoint, allowing nine runs in four starts.

He did not receive much run support, just nine total runs, but managed to gain his first major league win in his final start of the season, doing so by tossing six shutout innings against the Baltimore Orioles.

Richmond traveled down a long road to reach the major leagues, but it was worth the adventure, as he has become an integral part of the Blue Jays success.

Brett Cecil, 22, has also made an impact in the starting rotation, but he didn’t take such a lengthy route to Toronto. The lefthander was drafted in the first round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft out of the University of Maryland.

He quickly became a fixture in their minor league system, allowing just seven runs in 46 innings with Single-A affiliate Auburn, and was named their second best prospect. He began the 2008 season with Auburn, but ended the season with Triple-A Syracuse.

His statistics in the latter stages of the minor league system weren’t indicative of what made him so enticing. His repertoire was clearly major-league ready, highlighted by a 85-88-miles per hour slider with diving, late movement that helped him collect a majority of his 194 strikeouts.

This pitch, as well as his intimidating demeanor on the mound has served him well since being called up to the Blue Jays earlier this season. In three starts, he has accumulated a 2-0 record with a 1.80 ERA, having allowed just four earned runs in 20 innings.

Toronto’s young pitching does not end with Cecil. 25-year old Robert Ray spent three seasons in high-Single-A from 2006-2008, and started this season with this affiliate before making the jump to Triple-A Las Vegas.

He needed only one start–4 2/3 scoreless innings–to convince the Blue Jays that he was ready for the majors. Since his call-up, he has proven his worth, winning twice in four starts while boasting a 2.57 ERA.

Ricky Romero, 24, has also been stellar after spending nearly four years in the minor leagues. He, like Richmond, Cecil, and Ray, is not overpowering, but has the pitches necessary to be a very good pitcher for Toronto. He has a 2-0 record with a 1.71 ERA, allowing only four runs in three starts.

Richmond, Cecil, Ray, and Romero are inexperienced, but they have not pitched like it. They have been tremendous, and a large reason why Toronto has started the season so strong.

With these pitchers stacked up behind Halladay, the Blue Jays can not only build from their early-season success and contend for the division title this season, but can mold into a perennial power for the distant future.