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Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Roy Halladay had nine strikeouts, but managed just 10 outs in his season debut against the Atlanta Braves this week. The 10 hitters he faced that didn't strike out were 6-for-7 with an on-base percentage of .900.[alignleft][/alignleft]![]()
"If you didn't know it was Roy Halladay out there," a scout in attendance for the start said, "you would say, 'This guy looks like a journeyman.'"
The scout was asked if Halladay might be done as an above-average pitcher.
"Well, it's going to be a struggle," the scout said. "He's got to reinvent himself. And that's going to take a while. But I don't think he's done. I wouldn't go that far. Anyone who thinks this guy is a top-of-the-rotation guy now is not being realistic. And when I say top of the rotation, I mean a [No.] 1 or 2. He's not that. He's more like a [No.] 4 for me now. But that doesn't mean he's done.
"I think that because the competitiveness will always be there. But before, he could just out-stuff you. Now he's at the point, I don't think he can do that anymore. Now he's got to depend on location and command. It's going to be interesting to see if he can do that. He's been a warrior for a long time. But this is just the aging process, man, taking its toll. It happens to everybody. Everyone has that day. And I think his day is approaching very quickly."