CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Vernon Wells locked in on a pitch from Phillies ace Roy Halladay -- the face of the Blue Jays' franchise for the better part of the past decade -- and swung, sending the ball lofting high into the air in right field for a third-inning flyout Wednesday at Bright House Field.
As Wells headed back to the dugout, a strange thing happened.
"He actually talked to me," Wells said.
What was Halladay's message?
"He said, 'Have a good year, V,'" said Wells, who then smiled. "A full sentence."
It was a brief moment that could only have occurred during the relaxed environment of Spring Training. Truth be told, Halladay probably only allowed himself to take his intensity level down a notch because Wells just recorded an out. Fellow Blue Jays Aaron Hill and Adam Lind said Halladay did not speak a word to them, but they each collected a hit off the ace in the first inning.
With five days remaining until Opening Day, this was the Jays' first look at Halladay since he was dealt to the Phillies in a complicated series of trades in December. On a pristine day under a clear Florida sky, Halladay donned his new red and white uniform and gave Toronto's hitters a whole new appreciation for his skill on the mound.
"He located all his pitches on me," Lind said. "I didn't see anything over the plate."
That includes the first-inning cutter that broke sharply in on Lind, who yanked it down the right-field line and into the corner for a double.
"It was inside," Lind said. "Two strikes, I kind of had to swing. Those pitches are hard to pick up out of his hand."
Lind added that something looked different about the pitcher, too.
"He's thinner than I thought he was," Lind said with a grin. "It could be the red."
Before the game, Lyle Overbay said he was not going to swing at anything Halladay threw his way. True to his word, Toronto's first baseman took the first three pitches he saw in the first inning. Overbay was forced to alter his approach, though, and flew out to center field.
"He kept throwing me good pitches to hit," Overbay said.
Halladay did not completely overwhelm his former teammates, though. The Jays actually offered a rude welcome during their first reunion since the trade. In the first inning, Toronto pounded out four runs on five hits, including two doubles and one home run.
Jose Bautista led off with a double that carried to the wall in center field, and Hill followed by drilling the first pitch he received over the wall in left field a two-run blast. The blast came on a sinker that Halladay left high enough in the strike zone for Hill to capitalize.
"I knew what he was trying to do," Hill said. "With him, from watching him so much, you just have to get a ball up. He's so good at keeping it down."
Following Hill's two-run shot, Lind followed with a double off the good doctor. Three batters later, Edwin Encarnacion pulled a pitch down the third-base line and into left field for another two-base hit to plate Lind. Toronto shortstop Alex Gonzalez followed with an RBI single, putting the Jays ahead, 4-0.
Anyone whose ever been a Jays fan should have zero anger towards the Doc, but you have to admit it's kind of nice to see the Jays spank him around the diamond and hand him a loss. This trade still angers me to think about, I know Halladay wanted out and I don't blame him, with 148 wins and 49 complete games in 12 seasons and zero playoffs appearances it's about time the all-star would want out. The anger lies with management in a blockbuster trade that featured a 3 team trade headlined by 2 all-star ace pitchers and some nobodies and prospects the Jays sent the face of the Jays away for.......just prospects????? I think we've been in the rebuilding stage long enough, it's time to go after some meaningful assets that will help us win now. I'm sure this move cost the Jays more fans than they know, with opening day just around the corner maybe the jays should try and suck for the first month then get hot instead of the exact opposite and fail to make the playoffs.
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