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DUNEDIN, FLA. — Roy Halladay was a wide-eyed rookie trying to break into the lineup of the Toronto Blue Jays in 1998 when he first came into contact with Roger Clemens, who was beginning his second and final season with the Canadian franchise.
Clemens, who won his second consecutive Cy Young Award that season, was already recognized as a fanatic for his workout regimen and the message was not lost on impressionable Halladay.
Probably the hardest working member of the Blue Jays, Halladay said he now finds it difficult watching as Clemens struggles to clear his name in a very public row over his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs.
“You kind of hope the best for everybody that things work out,” Halladay said. “But it's definitely disappointing to see that and you'd like to think that … all the guys you look up to have always done the right thing. And that may be the case. It's tough to say.
“It's tough seeing that happen.”
Clemens was identified, along with about 90 other major-league baseball players, as being involved with performance-enhancing substances by the Mitchell report on drug use in baseball, which was released in December.
Clemens has vehemently denied the accusations and is expected to provide sworn testimony in Washington today before a congressional hearing on the report.
Halladay, here in Dunedin for the start of spring training, which for pitchers and catchers does not officially begin until Saturday, said in an interview yesterday he felt the overall scope of the Mitchell report focused too heavily on the past.
“I think all of the changes that have been made to move forward [on steroid use in baseball] aren't really shown,” Halladay said. “It brings up a lot of stuff from the past and you see a lot of names from the past. There's just not a lot of attention brought to the fact that, for the most part, they're getting things cleaned up already.
“Everybody in baseball gets lumped into the steroids era regardless of whether it was 10 years ago or now. For me, that's the most disappointing part, they brought up stuff that happened 10 years ago, not really what's going on right now.”
The Blue Jays did not escape unscathed in the Mitchell report. It linked catcher Gregg Zaun to receiving a shipment of anabolic steroids when he was a member of the Kansas City Royals in 2001.
Zaun, who has also arrived early for the Jays' camp, said yesterday he is not yet willing to discuss the allegations.
Halladay would also much prefer to talk about the coming season with the Blue Jays, his 11th season with the franchise.
The 30-year-old right hander led the major leagues last season with seven complete games and compiled a record of 16-7, despite missing a chunk of time in May after having his appendix removed. He is excited about the off-season additions of Scott Rolen and David Eckstein.
Rolen, a five-time all-star third baseman, was acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Troy Glaus last month.
Eckstein, a shortstop who played alongside Rolen on the St. Louis Cardinals team that won the World Series in 2006, signed a free-agent contract with the Jays in December.
Halladay said the professionalism of players such as Rolen and closer B.J. Ryan could have the most profound effect within the Jays' clubhouse, which he admitted last year was not as focused as it could have been.
“We had a lot of guys [in the bullpen] last year who were kind of tired at the end of the year and I think B.J.'s not going to let that happen,” Halladay said. “Whether that's things that happen off the field or on the field, he does a great job of monitoring those guys and kind of helping them in the right direction.”
Halladay said he's noticed that Rolen plays with a “sense of urgency” on every play. Halladay hopes it will rub off on other players.
“I think there were times last year where there just wasn't that sense of urgency, where things were kind of taken lightly,” Halladay said. “So that's a huge difference for me.
“I think just those two … are going to make a big difference.”
Halladay said he does not think it will be difficult for Rolen to step right into a new team and assume a leadership role.
“From what I hear, he's here to play and not to make friends, so it's going to be fun to have him,” Halladay said.
