Letters

I think I speak for all Blue Jays fans in wishing Roy Halladay good luck in Philadelphia. A little piece of us is glad that he is gone because he'll finally have a chance to win. Not only is he a fantastic pitcher, but he's an even better person. Enjoy the show, Philly. Go get 'em, Doc.

Scott E. Basler, Kitchener, Ont.

Tom Verducci's long-overdue article on Halladay (What Makes Roy Run, April 5) only emphasizes the problems facing certain franchises in major league baseball. I am sure that many American League hitters will tell you that Halladay has been one of the premier pitchers for several years, but it took a trade from Toronto to Philadelphia to make him a cover story. Phillies fans will soon appreciate the tremendous impact that he has on a pitching staff.

Gord Ross, Summerville, S.C.

Halladay is a great pitcher, but to call him the best in baseball is off the mark. The Giants' Tim Lincecum has won the past two National League Cy Young Awards.

Dennis O'Bayley, Castro Valley, Calif.

They may boo Santa Claus in Philadelphia, but they won't be booing Roy Halladay.

Robbie Broad, Barrie, Ont.

Worth the Wait

Thank you, Joe Posnanski, for your article on working the count (The Virtues of Patience, April 5). Some may say that players such as Denard Span and Marco Scutaro are not the most exciting to watch, but I beg to differ. It gave my father and me great joy as Blue Jays fans to watch Scutaro work the count full and draw a walk as Toronto's leadoff man. He played stellar defense at short and always came up with clutch hits for the team. We were sad to see him go to the division rival Red Sox.

Ian Brackman, Vancouver

As a huge Twins supporter, I'd like to thank you for giving Span the credit he deserves. He is a great player whom I hope Minnesota can keep in the organization for a long time.

Cassie Johnson, Mantorville, Minn.

The Budget Deficit

I was excited to see your Baseball Preview issue—until I remembered I root for the Padres. I then rechecked the payrolls of the Padres ($37.8 million) and the Yankees ($206.3 million). My next step is to ignore baseball for yet another year.

Mark Lindsey, Leawood, Kans.

Full Nelson

As a native of the Bay Area, I have had the opportunity to watch Don Nelson for years (POINT AFTER, April 5). In addition to being the NBA's winningest coach, Nelson is also a master of situational substitutions. To see him drastically change his lineup to befuddle the opposing team just when it has momentum is like watching a superior chef or surgeon at work. As Chris Ballard correctly points out, Nelson has never won a championship as an NBA coach. That's because he enjoys making the journey more than obtaining the prize.

Phil Larson, Santa Rosa, Calif.

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AL TIELEMANS (COVER)