Roy Halladay made 25 starts for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2012, the first time since 2004 he had made less than 30. He posted a surprisingly bad 4.49 ERA which he chalked up to nagging health issues. After a poor spring leading into this year, Halladay's problems are still there, and he is blaming his head, not his body, according to reports.
"It's 95 percent mental," Halladay said following a thumping at the hands of the New York Mets. The Mets torched Halladay for seven runs in four innings, just days after Halladay lasted three and one thirds innings in his first start of the season against the Atlanta Braves. In that start Halladay gave up five runs. In both starts Halladay surrendered six hits, and his season line thus far reads seven and one thirds innings pitched, 14.73 ERA, 2.45 WHIP.
Halladay expounded upon his "95 percent mental" diagnosis. "It's simplifying, it's getting to the basics. It's letting things happen and trying to force things. It's a game of failure and I've had my fair share. It's something that I've dealt a lot with in the past and I feel like I can overcome. The more you want it, the harder it is. You almost have to really back that off and put some perspective in the whole thing."
Halladay received an uplifting text from one of his sons following the loss that read, "You're my hero." Halladay said gestures like that go a long way toward clearing his mind. "Those kinds of things mean a lot. Those are the kind of things that do help you relax, put things in perspective and get back to simplification."
Phillies manager Charlie Manuel admitted to reporters that he is worried about Halladay's performance. He also said Halladay is healthy, which makes it tough to see the man once considered the top picher in baseball get knocked around.
"He's giving you everything he's got," Manuel said. "When you see somebody who works as hard as he does and gives you everything he's got, that's kind of tough to watch because I pull for him and I want him to do real good all the time."
The Mets will play the Phillies again tonight, at 7:05 p.m. on WHPL. The game can be live streamed here for free or for a fee here.
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