It took a little bit to process this information, but this news cuts me deep. Halladay was easily my favourite player to watch - hell, he was probably every Jays fan's favourite to watch in the 00s. He was a full-on legend in his time, with 67 career complete games during the era of pitch counts, relief specialists, and more defined and employed reliever roles.
He produced just shy of 50 WAR in 2,046 IP for the Jays, and finished 38th on the all-time WAR list for pitchers. We were all so proud he was a Blue Jay, especially considering that he was on some pretty bad teams during his tenure in Toronto. Somehow, Doc never wavered in his tenacity and competitiveness, nor did he ever cause a stir with the media or a rift in the clubhouse - he was a true professional from day one until the moment he left Toronto, and eventually retired.
Doc brought an abundance of awe and excitement to the fans of the Blue Jays and of baseball every time he stepped on that mound. I don't know about you guys, but I always expected the Jays to win every single one of Doc's starts, and I'll be damned if it didn't seem like he always gave them a solid opportunity to make good on those lofty expectations each and every time.
It's my understanding that, as a person, Doc was truly modest, humble and kind down to his very core - such rare traits for a world-class athlete. He seemingly never turned down a fan for an autograph or a picture, though I personally never had the opportunity to meet him myself. It pains me to be writing this today - he was only 40.
The world lost a great one today. He will be dearly missed.
May you rest in peace, Doc.