No. 1: Roy Halladay
There’s nothing one can say about Roy Halladay that hasn’t already been said in the past week.
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The tragic, sudden passing of Halladay has saddened us all, but has also made us reminisce and appreciate his greatness. Halladay truly was a class act, but he was also one of the best pitchers of his generation.
Halladay wanted so desperately to pitch for a contending team and he finally got that wish when he was traded to the Phillies prior to the 2010 season.
The Phillies got exactly what they paid for in Halladay –– an ace.
Halladay finished that 2010 season wth a record of 21-10 and an ERA of 2.44 with nine complete games, four of which were shutouts. Those impressive stats earned him his second Cy Young Award, and his first in the NL.
But, everyone will always remember those two nights of excellence, one in May and one in October. Halladay tossed the 20th perfect game in league history against the Marlins on May 29, and later that season tossed just the second no-hitter in postseason history in his first ever postseason start..
It was unfortunate the Phillies weren’t able to get Halladay a ring during that magnificent 2010 season, but that doesn’t make it any less memorable. He deserved and earned all of his accomplishments in life.
Next: Rhys Hoskins finishes fourth in Rookie of the Year
Halladay’s tireless work ethic and desire to be perfect made him as close to that as you can get, and that is why he tops our list.