MLB All Star Game: 5 Best Blue Jays Ever!

Roy Halladay- 8 Time All Star! 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

Now, we have to acknowledge that if we were sticking to the rules of being a Blue Jay for this list, then Roy Halladay would only have 6 appearances. His last two appearances were as a member of the Phillies. So, technically, he and Jose Bautista would be tied for most All Star Game appearances by a Blue Jays player. But, come on. This is “Doc” we’re talking about.

Toronto Blue Jays

Roy Halladay is considered by many to be the greatest Blue Jay of all time. He is that rare talent that a team drafts (17th overall in 1995) and develops into a dominant force. Yes, he struggled when he began his career, but that is all in the shadows of the brightness of ten years of dominance. He finished his 15 year career with a 203-105 record. He won 2 Cy Young Awards (2003 & 2010 with the Phillies) and finished top 5 in voting 5 other times. Whether this is enough to get him into the Hall of Fame, where the benchmark is traditionally 300 wins is a topic for another day.

In his time with the Blue Jays, Halladay put up 48 WAR, which is good for second. He kept working his tail off for this club. He led the league in complete games 5 times as a member of the Blue Jays. But they could just not provide him with a winning club.

Doc was named the starter for the 2009 All Star Game in St. Louis and the 2011 game in Philadelphia. Only one other Blue Jays pitcher has started 2 All Star Games. We’ll get to him in a bit. In fact, since this certain mustached hurler, only Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Curt Schilling have started 2 or more.

His ’09 start didn’t go so well as he yielded 3 runs in his two innings of work. But, in 2011, he was (what else?) perfect in his two innings.

Roy Halladay signed a token contract with the Toronto Blue Jays shortly before his retirement. IF he is inducted into the Hall of Fame, could he be just the second to go in wearing a Blue Jays’ hat?

Next: Touch 'em All, Joe...All 5 Of Them