Should the Philadelphia Phillies Be Concerned Over Roy Halladay?

Normally, expectations are high for Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies considering he’s proven to be one of the most dangerous pitchers in baseball throughout his career, but his performances through spring training may be a reason for concern heading into 2013.

Halladay is coming off another disappointing performance on Thursday as he threw 96 pitches in 4 1/3 innings while allowing eight hits and two runs against the Toronto Blue Jays to finish spring training with a 6.06 ERA. Halladay is coming off a 2012 season in which he finished with an 11-8 record to go along with a 4.49 ERA, but it’s difficult not to wonder if age is starting to become a factor in his performance.

Obviously, the Phillies will need all of the help they can get heading into the 2013 season as they look to bounce back from a disappointing year in which they finished with an 81-81 record. It’s difficult to believe this was a team that used to have no trouble when it came to winning the NL East title, but times have changed as they will face heavy competition in the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals.

If Halladay can manage to stay healthy and return to his old dominant self, there’s no reason why Philadelphia can’t compete with the Braves and Nationals for the division title. However, if spring training is any indication off what to expect from Halladay–the pitcher could be in for what could turn into another long 2013 season.

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