Major League Baseball

Jays would miss Halladay on and off the field

Published Jul. 19, 2009 5:18 p.m. ET

foxsports

During the fifth inning of Saturday afternoon's Blue Jays broadcast, radio play-by-play man Jerry Howarth welcomed a special guest. Brandy Halladay would be on the air to promote the Lady Jays Food Drive, a charitable effort that she leads along with the wives and girlfriends of other Toronto players.

It didn't take long for the conversation to weave around to You Know What.

"I really hope the fans know that the Blue Jays have been amazing for us," Brandy Halladay said on The FAN 590, as her husband's team worked toward a 6-2 victory over the Red Sox. "We stand behind them 110 percent. They have absolutely done right by us.

"J.P. (Ricciardi) has gone above and beyond what a general manager would normally do. We're very grateful for the opportunities he's given us and that he is presenting us in the future. Whatever happens will be best for the Blue Jays and good for us, too. I'm excited for everybody all around."

Later, she added: "This very well could be our last homestand. We're leaving on Monday. If something happens before trade deadline, I won't be back. That's difficult. That's more than difficult. I just broke into tears four minutes ago. ... It's very difficult for everybody. ... You're making me cry now."

Then she laughed a little. A few minutes later, the interview circled back to the initial premise. Even then, there was an elevated emotion about it all. Brandy Halladay said fans — a greater number than usual — had been approaching her to express their gratitude as they left their nonperishables outside the stadium.

It's a safe assumption that not every "thank you" was for the food drive.

"I've been here a long time, and I love this team," Brandy Halladay told Howarth and analyst Alan Ashby. "I love this city. I'm so familiar with the people in the stadium, as well as the fans. So many of them come up, and I know them, too. It's very comfortable for me."