THE CITY OF BATTERY LOVE:

Halladay presents Ruiz with replica of Cy Young prize (PAUL HAGEN, 3/26/11, phillynews.com)

When Ruiz, who didn't play in yesterday's 3-1 exhibition win over the Braves, left the dugout and walked into the nearly deserted clubhouse during the seventh inning, he found a plain, brown box sitting on the chair in front of his locker.

At first, he just glanced at it as he began stowing his equipment.

Then he noticed what was written with a marker on one corner of the top.

To: Chooch

From: Roy

Curious, he dug into the wrapping paper and packing bubbles and found an exact replica of Halladay's Cy Young Award. He looked at reliever Danys Baez standing nearby and said a few words in Spanish. Both men beamed.

"It means a lot. It's hard to say what I feel. I don't know what to say. It's special, you know? I'm definitely going to say thank you a thousand times. It's real special," Ruiz said later.

Ruiz has never pitched as a professional. He was a second baseman before being converted to catcher. So the thought of getting a Cy Young Award never occurred to him.

"Exactly," he said with a laugh. "It's definitely going to be in a special room in my house. I'll always remember this gift from him. Anything he does for me is special, because if I were going to pay to watch baseball, that's the guy I'd like to watch play the game.

"I can't wait to put it in my house."

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