Roy Halladay reported to the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday to serve as a guest instructor in Clearwater, Florida.
The plan is for Halladay to work on and off with Philadelphia's young pitchers over the next month.
"I like just being around," Halladay said. "For me right now it's just about learning new names and getting to know people, just being around I think is important for me right now. More than anything I just want to get to know these guys and anyway I can help, I'll be happy to help.
"Whatever concerns they may have, if any, or talking about things that helped me be successful, so it can cover a range of things. For me, it's just a pleasure to be able to help out. If it's throwing BP, I'll throw BP. ... I think it's just a great opportunity to get out here again and be around the guys. Especially with so many new, young players, it's exciting for a guy like myself to come in and watch them. If I can share anything that'll help them, that's awesome."
Halladay, who turns 40 in May, said he had a few offers from other teams to take on a similar role but opted to work with the Phillies. He spent the final four years of his 16-year career with the organization.
"To me, it feels like the type of organization that they are at this point, and where I felt the most welcomed and the most wanted was here," Halladay said. "And I also felt like there were the best opportunities for me to be helpful. I'm coming in with that hope and we’ll see how these first few days go and go from there."
