CLEARWATER, Fla. – Phillies pitching prospect Nick Pivetta had one of those pinch-me moments Saturday.
He met his boyhood idol, Roy Halladay, at a charity event.
Someone had filled in Halladay that Pivetta had grown up in Canada and had regularly watched Toronto Blue Jays games on television. Pivetta loved watching Halladay pitch, as he talked about a few weeks ago here.
"I got to briefly shake his hand," Pivetta said Sunday morning. "He knew I was like a stalker. He said, ‘Oh, right, you're the guy from British Columbia.' "
Halladay, who pitched for the Phils from 2010 to 2013, lives in the Clearwater area. Pivetta said he expected to speak more with Halladay in the coming days.
Halladay was honored at the 44th annual Clearwater For Youth banquet and Pivetta attended with a number of his teammates and Phillies officials. Phillies chairman David Montgomery and his wife Lyn were also honored for their charitable works.
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Pivetta will pitch for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic in March.
