Marcia, Marcia, Marcia

A day after Roy Halladay was deemed the hardest-working man in show business, he got more accolades today - this time for his leadership and teammate skills.

As reported by Andy Martino (where the hell has he been?), Halladay has some interesting quotes in the current issue of the Sporting News.

When asked to name the best pitcher in the NL East, he refused to include himself, but put young Cole Hamels up there with Johan Santana and Josh Johnson:

"I'd never vote for myself," Halladay, 32, told the magazine when asked whether he was the best pitcher in the NL East.

He said New York Mets lefthander Johan Santana "has always been fun to watch. The way Cole pitched in the playoffs a couple of years ago and at times last year, I think he's up there. Some of the Marlins' younger guys are scary - Josh Johnson. There's a lot of talent."

He earned instant praise for taking time to boost Hamels' ego and show him that he's an important part of the Phillies fate.

But I wonder how long before this lovefest for Roy turns Cole a little green and gives him a Jan Brady complex. I know that Roy is saying the right things about Hamels, but it might eat at Hamels that the media and fans are swooning at the new guy who hasn't won a thing (best pitcher to never see the postseason) while the hero of the 2008 playoffs gets the bum rush because he didn't post gaudy numbers last year.

It should be interesting to watch, but in my gut I think Cole has a big year riding shotgun for Doc.

I don't know who the Jan Brady of the Red Sox would be (Dustin Pedroia, maybe?), but it's clear that Kevin Youkilis would be the Marcia after this piece in the Herald:

He is, in short, one of us.

And guess what: He has every intention of remaining one of us.

"I see myself, if everything goes well, retiring as a member of the Red Sox," said Youkilis earlier this week, following a morning round of batting practice at the team’s minor-league complex in Fort Myers. "That's my goal. I want to finish my career with the Red Sox, and that's not something that a lot of players do."

There also is this: More than simply wanting to stay with the Red Sox, he also wants to stay in Boston.

And he's also Hollywood like Marcia Brady and Cole Hamels. He was in Milk Money, which I never knew before.



[Photo credit: The Brady Bunch Blog]