Intentional Foul» Not Everyone Loves Doc Halladay

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Besides Reds fans, even.

Ah,postseason baseballquibbling: When you are the second player to ever accomplish something of note in Major League Baseball, considering just how extensive the history is (ask Ken Burns), it’s significant, much like Roy Halladay’sno-hitter against the Cincinnati Redslast night should be treated. Some, however, disagree with all the love being thrown Halladay’s way. On one side, one of those quick to take credit away is understandable. His team just got flummoxed by perhaps the best pitcher in the game, and some defiance lingers.

While it does come across as sour grapes,Orlando Cabreraat least has reason to reject the notion of Halladay’s greatness, even if it just being a sore loser.

On blogosphere side of things,not everyone was impressed there, either. Granted, the guys at Bugs and Cranks watch and know a whole lot more about baseball than I do, but I don’t quite get the reasoning behind the lack of Halladay love:

But most of all, because before he came out in the third inning, he had a 4-0 lead to work with. Matt Garza allowing 2 hits and 1 run over 7 innings in Game 7 of the 2008 ALCS in a 3-1 game is far more impressive than Halladay’s showy little no-hitter yesterday. Hell, give me Jered Weaver going 7.1 innings and giving up 2 hits and 1 run in a 4-1 win of last year’s ALDS Game 2 against the Red Sox.

While the performances mentioned might indeed by sterling outings by other pitchers in a playoff atmosphere, being only the second baseball player to ever throw a postseason no-hitter resonates, whether you want it to or not; regardless if you’re a member of the Reds or simply a fan of baseball who writes a blog.

I’m sometimes hesitant to overuse Internet memes in posts, but I think the following adaptation applies:“Impressive performance is impressive.” Like it or not, Halladay’s namebelongsin the history books, if, for nothing else, the sheer rarity of his accomplishment.

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