mcare89 wrote:

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?

Pedro and Moyer can pitch April-June, and then we go to Kendrick and Drabek in July. Pitching by committee, it'd be fantastic.

ek wrote:blue jays source on twitter

Since Halladay is eligible for FA next winter, a Major League source said he might waive his no-trade to OK a deal to the Angels for 2010.

jaysonst: Hearing that the Phillies have been just as aggressive on Fernando Rodney as Brandon Lyon. But would Phillies pay Rodney closer-type money?

ek wrote:our beat writers sans Zolecki basically $#@! on this in their blogs

Gaston upbeat as Jays go in new direction
Hot Stove: Tracker | Blog | Pulse
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com

12/09/09 9:20 PM EST

INDIANAPOLIS -- Alex Anthopoulos loosened up a bit on Wednesday afternoon. The Blue Jays general manager tiptoed carefully around questions about the future of ace Roy Halladay, but Anthopoulos did not decline comment at the mere mention of the pitcher's name.

Toronto is actively talking to a handful of teams about possible trade scenarios involving Halladay, but it is unlikely that a deal will be consummated before the end of the Winter Meetings on Thursday. In fact, Anthopoulos indicated that he did not believe the Jays would have any moves to announce before teams leave Indianapolis.

"I wouldn't expect to have anything done," Anthopoulos said. "Again, things can change so fast."

The Yankees and Red Sox continue to monitor the situation, but Major League sources have indicated that the Angels and Phillies may actually be leading the pack of Halladay's suitors. The Dodgers have contacted the Blue Jays about Halladay at the Meetings, and the Rays are believed to have some level of interest as well.

The Phillies, who acquired ace left-hander Cliff Lee last July after talks with the Blue Jays broke down, remain very much in the mix for Halladay this offseason, according to another Major League source. Philadelphia has the talent to pull off a trade, but it is believed that it would likely have to trade pitcher Joe Blanton to clear salary space before seriously pursuing Halladay.

Philadelphia trains in Clearwater, Fla., which is only a short drive from Halladay's home. The Yankees and Red Sox also have spring homes in Florida, but the AL East rivals will likely wait to see if the Jays will lower their asking price before seriously getting involved in talks. Toronto wants a strong package of Major League-ready talent or high-ceiling players who can help strengthen the club's core down the road.

SI_JonHeyman

one competing gm on angels' reported offer for #halladay of saunders, aybar & bourjos: "(jays) should take it.''

FTN wrote:

SI_JonHeyman

one competing gm on angels' reported offer for #halladay of saunders, aybar & bourjos: "(jays) should take it.''

The Phillies can beat this offer without crippling the farm. Easily.

Damn.

FTN wrote:Signing Rodney could have its benefits. Next time he fires a ball into the press box it could hit TMac's giant dome

The Roy Halladay sweepstakes are back to where they were last July.

The Phillies and Angels again have emerged as the front-runners in trade discussions for the Blue Jays' ace right-hander, according to major-league sources.

The Phillies, one source said, are offering a package of young players, likely including left-hander J.A. Happ and one of two outfielders, Domonic Brown or Michael Taylor.

The Angels, as first reported by the Toronto Sun, are offering left-hander Joe Saunders, shortstop Erick Aybar and minor-league center fielder Peter Bourjos.

The Jays, weighing three- and four-team scenarios in an attempt to maximize their assets, likely would spin Saunders to another club for additional parts.

Trade talks are fluid, and other names likely are in play. Halladay's approval is needed for any deal, and he likely will require a contract extension to waive his no-trade clause.

The Phillies almost certainly would need to clear payroll space simply to acquire Halladay, perhaps by trading right-hander Joe Blanton, who figures to earn approximately $7 million in salary arbitration.

However, purging Blanton would not provide enough of a savings, one source said. The acquisition of Halladay, who will earn $15.75 million next season, would push the Phillies well beyond their budget limit, and other moves would be required.

At the same time, signing Halladay to an extension would give the Phillies protection against the possible loss of left-hander Cliff Lee to free agency after next season.

The Angels, meanwhile, are angling for Halladay while also trying to re-sign the best starting pitcher on the free-agent market, right-hander John Lackey. If they retained Lackey, they could pull out of the Halladay talks without losing any players.

All of the players under discussion from both the Angels and Phillies were part of the Halladay talks involving the respective clubs last July. But Halladay, entering the final year of his contract, does not have the same trade value he did then.

If either the Phillies or Angels lands him, they will give up less than they would have before the July 31 non-waiver deadline.

Woody wrote:there is no doubt in my mind that Rube will order a hit on Moyer in order to get this done

Woody wrote:Hi Wiz!

We've heard from multiple sources this week that there are no more than a half-dozen teams Halladay will approve a trade to.

His "A" List: Phillies, Yankees, Red Sox, Angels.

His "Maybe" List: Rays and Dodgers.

So what about the Mets? "I don't think he'd go to the Mets," said one source who knows him well.

"If he could only pick one place? Oh, Philadelphia," the source said. "No question. He lives right near their spring training camp. It's an easy trip down to Florida to get home. They've got a great team. And it's not the pressure of New York -- not that pressure bothers him."

We've also heard that in the "right" deal, the Blue Jays would take a veteran player back if he's the right fit at the right price and he'd make it easier for the other club to say yes. It's still way too early to say exactly which players that might be -- whether, say, a Juan Rivera would be fine in an Angels deal but a Gary Matthews Jr. would be too pricey. But it shows a sense of flexibility that wasn't as present in July, at least.

But despite all those signs, the Phillies remain as dug in against trading their top two prospects, pitcher Kyle Drabek and outfielder Domonic Brown, as they were this summer. So unless the Blue Jays back off, a more likely scenario involves the Phillies chasing Halladay as a free agent next winter if they can't re-sign Lee.