CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Roy Halladay doesnt deny that his velocity is down, but he says he has no physical problems.
Yeah, I heard about that, Halladay said, referring to a report that seemed to wonder if the pitcher, like teammates Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, might have a physical issue. Poor reporting on the extreme end of poor reporting. It couldnt be further from the truth.
Halladay has had a difficult spring, allowing nine runs in 7 23 innings over three starts. He labored through 2 23 innings on Wednesday and allowed seven hits and five runs while throwing 70 pitches.
On Wednesday night, Foxsports.com quoted scouts saying they had concerns about Halladay because his velocity was down. Halladay is one of the games top workhorse starters, having logged more than 220 innings six straight seasons and 2,531 for his career.
Halladay brushed off concerns about his velocity on Thursday morning.
Yeah, Im 34 and 2,500 innings, he said. It does take a while to get going. I dont pay attention to that. The older you get, the more you throw, the longer it takes you to get yourself going. When I came up I threw 98 mph. Last year, I was throwing 92-93. Its not unusual. When you get older, it takes you longer. The more innings you throw the more it takes to get yourself going again.
Halladay was brilliant last spring, allowing just one run over 21 23 innings. The results havent been nearly as good this spring.
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I think its hard, the older you get and the more spring trainings youre around, he said. You can try and have as much intensity as you can, but its just not the same. I think once you get closer and youre really not working on stuff and youre trying to pitch, its a little different level of competition. Its all part of it. Would I like to be throwing 98 right now? Yeah. That would be great. But I dont expect thats going to happen.
Halladays next start is scheduled for Tuesday against the Orioles in Sarasota.
It figures to be one of the most scrutinized starts of his career.
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com