Trent Steele wrote:here's the deal...

i want him. i dont really care what it costs. i want to suck the souls out of douchebag linebeard mets fans in december - 4 months before the season even starts. i want the rest of the nl east to give up hope by christmas. i wasn to $#@! on the $#@! sucking yankees fans in the world series. halladay to the phils is the apocalypse for the rest of mlb. do it

INDIANAPOLIS - Alex Anthopoulos has spoke all week about having multiple balls in the air.

Now there is an offer on the table for Blue Jays right-hander Roy Halladay at the winter meetings.

The Angels took the lead amongst interested teams in the hunt for Halladay by offering:

- Lefty Joe Saunders, 28, who was 16-7 with a 4.60 earned run average in 31 starts. Saunders, available for trade since the Angels acquired lefty Scott Kazmir, walked 64 and struck out 101 in 186 innings. Saunders earned $475,000 this season and is eligible for salary arbitration.

- Shortstop Erick Aybar, 26 next month. He hit .312 with five homers and 58 RBIs in 137 games with the Angels. He stole 14 bases with a .353 on-base percentage. Aybar earned $473,000 and is eligible for salary arbitration.

- Speedy centre fielder Peter Bourjos, 23 in March, had six homers and 51 RBIs in 110 games at Double-A Arkansas. Bourjos, the son of former Jays scout Chris Bourjos, who helped sign Halladay, hit 16 doubles, 14 triples and was 32-for-44 stealing bases.

Both Saunders and Aybar would be under the Jays’ control for three years before they hit free agency.

What about newly-signed Alex Gonzalez with the arrival of Aybar?

Well, Gonzalez, signed to a one-year $2.75 million contract, with an option at $2.5 million for 2011, would be dealt.

For the second day in succession the Angels are the lead team in the chase for Halladay, a year away from free agency

And unless someone steps up with a better offer could the Angels wind up with Halladay? Will Halladay report to a west coast team which has spring training in Arizona?

“Let me ask you this,” said one major league executive, “do you think that the Angels would be running through hoops, having one conversation after another with the Jays and not know whether Halladay would report to Los Angeles?”

Good point.

The Angels are also in on free agents John Lackey, Jason Bay and Matt Holliday.

The New York Yankees moved prime prospect centre fielder Austin Jackson to add dynamic centre fielder Curtis Granderson and still have interest in Halladay. The Jays are said to want catching prospect Jesus Montero, who turned 20 last month. Montero hit .377 as a teen-ager with 17 homers and 70 RBIs at Single-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton.

Some talent evaluators say they do not think Montero will catch in the big leagues, but most agree he will hit and compare his numbers -- 28 walks, 47 strikeouts in 387 at-bats -- to that of a young Albert Pujols.

If the Yanks decide to part with a second prospect in a week, then the Jays have to decide if a package of either Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain, plus Montero is better than Saunders, Aybar and Bourjos, plus a prospect the Jays may get in return for Gonzalez.

So it looks like Halladay will be moved soon?

Let’s check with agent Scott Boras.

“I’ve been at this a long time,” said Boras. “It’s a general rule that you may give up money but you don’t give up players. Or you may attach players but you don’t give up money. There aren’t situations where teams give up both because it’s entirely too costly.

“My clients talk about Halladay and say the same. He’s hard to feel confident against him. You realize the respect the team has for him and you understand the value they’re going to require to trade him.

“I don’t see with a year to go a club could satisfy what Toronto should demand. I think that would be a very, very unlikely event.”

The balls remain in the air.

Trent Steele wrote:here's the deal...

i want him. i dont really care what it costs. i want to suck the souls out of douchebag linebeard mets fans in december - 4 months before the season even starts. i want the rest of the nl east to give up hope by christmas. i wasn to $#@! on the $#@! sucking yankees fans in the world series. halladay to the phils is the apocalypse for the rest of mlb. do it

Trent Steele wrote:Toronto Sun

ek wrote:do they want outfielders?

Trent Steele wrote:That offer sucks, tbh

mcare89 wrote:Plus Saunders and Aybar are both arb-eligible guys now, right? Seems like they'd want more guys they'd have cost-control of rather than arb guys, right?

Trent Steele wrote:lets stop $#@! around

taylor, happ, gose, d'arnaud

trade blanton

re-sign pedro

S2D wrote:
Aybar hasn't walked 30 times during a season, ever.

PTOITWCFTPP wrote:

Trent Steele wrote:lets stop $#@! around

taylor, happ, gose, d'arnaud

trade blanton

re-sign pedro

Can the old goats make it through an entire season?

Woody wrote:Waht's with the spaniards and not walking

Trent Steele wrote:lets stop $#@! around

taylor, happ, gose, d'arnaud

trade blanton

re-sign pedro

philliesphhan wrote:

S2D wrote:
Aybar hasn't walked 30 times during a season, ever.

I assume you meant to say "more than"