ST. LOUIS – In past All-Star Games, Roy Halladay would look around the clubhouse and wonder if he really belonged.It's that same reluctance to be the center of attention that has made the past week so difficult.
Halladay, officially named the American League starter Monday, described it as a "coin flip" as to whether he'd still be with the Blue Jays after the July 31 trade deadline.
"Yeah it's tough," Halladay said about the now-public fact that the Blue Jays are willing to listen to trade offers for him.
"Obviously I'm somewhere that I enjoy being and spent my entire career," continued Halladay, who has a trade-veto power. "So there's a lot I think that goes into it. But I think as a player there's that will to win, there's that will to do it in October. And basically that's all this has been about. I'd like that chance. I'm not saying it won't be [with] Toronto. It's what's going to be best for the organization, how we're going to be able to do that and move forward."
Halladay said he had not thought about whether he would need a contract extenstion to approve a trade but indicated going to a contender was more important than a new contract.
| All-Star Lineups | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| American League | |||
| No. | Player | Pos | Key Stat |
| 1 | Ichiro Suzuki | RF | .362 AVG |
| 2 | Derek Jeter | SS | .857 OPS |
| 3 | Joe Mauer | C | .373 AVG |
| 4 | Mark Teixeira | 1B | 21 HR |
| 5 | Jason Bay | LF | 72 RBI |
| 6 | Josh Hamilton | CF | .725 OPS |
| 7 | Evan Longoria | 3B | 66 RBI |
| 8 | Aaron Hill | 2B | 20 HR |
| 9 | Roy Halladay | SP | 2.85 ERA |
| National League | |||
| 1 | Hanley Ramirez | SS | .979 OPS |
| 2 | Chase Utley | 2B | 20 HR |
| 3 | Albert Pujols | 1B | 32 HR |
| 4 | Ryan Braun | RF | .921 OPS |
| 5 | Raul Ibanez | LF | 60 RBI |
| 6 | David Wright | 3B | .324 AVG |
| 7 | Shane Victorino | CF | 15 SB |
| 8 | Yadier Molina | C | .280 AVG |
| 9 | Tim Lincecum | SP | 149 SO |
"I never really thought about starting [an All-Star Game]," Halladay said. "Once it is announced, it is a big difference, it is a special experience. I'm just glad I wasn't the one to decide who was going to start. I don't know if it's because Tampa beat me 5-6 times in the last year."
Halladay has faced Maddon's Rays seven times since the start of last season, going 2-5 with a 3.94 ERA.
" 'Doc' over the last several years has demonstrated to be possibly maybe the best pitcher in the American League," Maddon said. "I get to see him way too often. He's still at the very pinnacle of his pitching abilities. ... Based on this season and body of work I thought he deserved the nod."
Halladay will face San Francisco's Tim Lincecum, who was chosen for last year's game but never left his New York hotel because he was ill. This time he plans to make it to Busch Stadium.
"I'm just going to load up on a bunch of liquids," he said, "be re-hydrated and have [Giants teammate] Matt Cain put a leash around my neck, keep me in my room."
National League manager Charlie Manuel's toughest decision might have been how to replace outfielder Carlos Beltran, who was voted a starter but is injured. Manuel chose his own center fielder in Philadelphia, Shane Victorino.
"I wanted a guy who had played center field and was a true center fielder I could put out there," Manuel said.
Manuel will try to snap the NL's 12-year winless skid (0-11-1).
"I hear that a lot," he said, "and I'm sure the players hear it too. If that's a motivation and gives us something to go out there play harder for, then I hope it works. Our league definitely wants to win and we would love to be called a superior league."
