Thanks, Roy.

Dear Roy,
I was born in 1996, and have been a baseball fan since 2003. My first memory of baseball was of you, standing in the batter’s box in an interleague game (I called you “Holiday” back then), and I still remember your Franchise-record 22nd win. With the Blue Jays failing to break the Yankees-Red Sox monetary Duopoly, you were, for years, the only thing I had to cheer for. I reveled in you many great achievements, mourned your misfortunes (though they were few) and generally rode an emotional rollercoaster along with your successes. So, as you can imagine, December 16th, 2009, was the worst day of my life.
I still remember it vividly: on a Wednesday afternoon, just two days before my Christmas Holidays, I had just completed my frozen trek home through the snow, and was,as usual, visiting Sports Illustrated to find out the latest news.
And there I saw it.
Hidden amidst the clump of headlines on the side of the page was a very simple one: Halladay Traded to Phillies.
Heart pounding, I clicked on it.
The news clip was short, only a few paragraphs, but it told me all I needed to know: Roy Halladay, my hero, the greatest player ever on my favourite team ever, my only hero through my childhood, the one person who I followed without stop, ROY HALLADAY, had been traded.
Suddenly, I lost track of everything else around me. I no longer cared that the prospects we had acquired would be instrumental to our rebuilding process, no longer cared that your salary would have been an unsupportable drain on our payroll, no longer cared that we would have lost you to Free Agency anyways after the season. I raced downstairs to tell my father the news, and then I came back up and sat down. And I began to cry.
Ever since then, I have followed you more closely than I have ever followed any other non-Blue Jay. I saw your opening day start, the 11-1 demolition of Washington, and I saw as many as I could after it. None, however, could compare to the one on May 29th.
I was sitting on my computer at about 8:45, cruising through the front page of sportsline.com, when suddenly I saw a headline that made my heart stop: Roy Halladay Perfect Through Seven Against Marlins.
As quickly as i could, I went to mlb.com and, sure as hell, there it was, right on their front page: Live look-ins of Halladay pitching HERE. I gathered my family members into the room, and then we began to watch.
We were just in time for the ninth inning. With my heart racing like never before, I watched you retire first Mike Lamb, then Sir Wes Helms and, finally, on a ground ball to Third Baseman Juan Castro, Ronny Paulino. As I stood there, watching the screen, a smile slowly appearing on my face, I knew: as surely as December 16th was the worst day of my life, this was the best.
For many months previously, I had been waiting unbearably for June 25th; for that was the day that you and your Phillies were due to come to Toronto for a three-game set, and the first of three days that could see you pitch.
However, sometime in mid-May, while scanning sports headlines, I read a stunning piece of news: because of the G-20 Summit, the series was being moved to Philiadephia.
Make no mistake, this was a crushing piece of news. However, I have not yet given up hope: your contract with Philadelphia runs only 4 years, and you may yet, through any set of incredible occurences, choose to return to your one real team.
Here, there, or anywhere, I would like to wish you good luck, and ask that you always remember us.
Sincerely,

Congrats Roy! Much deserved. We miss you here in Canada.

Congrats Roy! You’re the man! Not only did you kill it last night, but you pulled it out with class like you always do. Best Pitcher in the MLB. Keep it up man, cheering for you here in Kitchener, Ontario!

Congratulations on your PERFECT GAME!!!

Now it’s really a shame they had to move the June 25-27th series… if only because Toronto would have loved to Congratulate you in person!

Keep it up Roy! Can’t wait to see you pitch in the playoffs!

Congrats Roy, a perfect game thats something else. keep lighting up the NL, Toronto will miss you forever

Congrats on the perfect game Roy. Bring yourself a world series ring home this year.

PERFECT GAME! Ahahahahahahahaha! Amazing! Congratulations!

It was tough for a long time being a Jays fan, and living in Toronto, it meant it was hard being a fan of the game in general when there was little to watch. When you came back from your stint in minors, you refired interest in the game in general. It is too bad that “sabermetrics” ruled this team make up so much and you had to try to win with bullpens that lost you games, and an offense that gave no run support. Best of luck to you in Philadelphia, but I don’t think you need any luck. Your work ethic, and constant study of your opponents and yourself will be all you need to bring another NL win to Philadelphia and possibly even the World Series. But why give up #32. You are Koufaxian in your ability, you of all pitchers deserve to wear that number!

Roy, Good to see you dominating the NL like we knew you would. Hope to see you pitching in Toronto this year.

I think I speak for all Blue Jays fans in wishing Roy Halladay good luck in Philadelphia. A little piece of us is glad that he is gone from the Toronto Blue Jays because he will finally have a chance to win. Not only is he a fantastic pitcher, but he is an even better person. As a Blue Jays season ticket holder I will miss seeing him on the mound, but in terms of the National League, I am now a Phillies fan. Enjoy the show, Philly and Go get’em Doc.

Roy, Its been a pleasure watching you operate this season. We are very lucky to have you here and I know I speak for fans all around the world, you are a class act. I know you’ll love it here. thank you

Roy Halladay is the best pitcher in baseball and it was a treat watching him pitch as long as he did here in T.O. Unfortunately we couldn’t built a good enough team around him to compete with the rest of the AL East.
As Chris Bosh’s free agency draws closer I can’t help but be amazed at how much class Roy has in how he handled the whole trade situation, including his page in the Toronto Star thanking fans, and at his press conference for the Phillies thanking the Jays organization first. Its refreshing to see any athlete have so much passion for the game and for the fans as Halladay does.
This guy is an unbelievable person and talent, and Philadelphia is lucky to have him. I really hope they win it all this year so Roy can finally get what he deserves, and his 4-0 start to the season is already showing that they’re on their way.

Damn I miss watching him pitch every 5 days.

man I loved watching this guy play, it was magical. he will be missed but I wish him the best of luck in winning a ring because if anyone deserves one its him. THE BEST PITCHER IN BASEBALL PERIOD!

Thanks Roy for leaving the Jays. Now they stink and I can make fun of my friends for being a fan of the worst team in baseball.

Yours truly,

Matt

Thanks for being who you are Roy, it is because of you that our pitchers will be good pros in the future. You set the standard for them and showed them how to play the right way! I hope everyday for you to get the world series ring you so richly deserve. Thanks for everything you have done for the Jays, the city of Toronto and baseball in Canada. You will always be our Ace and the greatest player in Blue Jays history!

I don’t even watch baseball or know anything about it but I’ve heard that you were epic when you played. Have fun with the rest of your life.

I’ve lost all interest in baseball over the past few years. So many players I watched and cheered for have been accused and/or caught using performance enhancing supplments. You truly are the one bright spot in a tainted sport. I sincerly hope that you get the championship ring you so much deserve. I was just a kid but I remember back in ’93 I never picured myself cheering for any team other than the Jays, especially the Phillies. Now I can’t picture myself cheering for the Jays again. In a hockey crazed city that has embraced and supported the Raptors and TFC more than Jays you still were the most popular and consistant athlete by far. Thank you for everything and good luck.

I never felt so sad to be a Jays fan. It felt weird, not having the good Doc take the mound and start us off 1-0. You were an amazing Blue Jay and the best player this franchise has ever had. In a era of cheating, loudmouth and spoiled athletes it’s so refreshing to see someone like you. You were great for baseball in Canada and I wish you nothing but the best in Philly. Don’t forget about us when you reach Cooperstown

Today was just the start of a great season for you Doc. We all know that you will do great things in Philly. Maybe later in your career you will come back to Toronto and be the final piece we need to get to the world series. But one thing I ask of you is don’t come back without a ring. God knows you deserve one.

ROY HALLADAY IS THE BEST PITCHER IN THE WHOLE WORLD.. ITS SOOO HARD FOR ME TO SAY GOODBYE CAUSE THIS IS LIKE THE 100TH TIME I HAVE SAID GOOD BYE TO U ROY!!!