Halladay: A Natural Fit for Pinstripes
By Glenn Giangrande
Would the Blue Jays ever consider trading Roy Halladay to the Yankees?
Probably not.
Should the Yanks inquire and see what it would take?
Absolutely.
Fans of the Yanks often get criticized by others for wanting to play “fantasy baseball” – just bring in as many stars as possible! However, if recent comments made by Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi are to be believed, the right-handed ace could be in play.
“We have to see what’s out there,” Ricciardi said. “I’m not saying we’re going to shop him. But if something makes sense, we at least have to listen. We’re (leaning) more toward listening than we’ve ever been.”
While trading Halladay would send a tough message to Blue Jays fans, it appears to be the right move. Toronto’s pitching staff is chock full of youngsters, and the Jays are playing in a division filled with teams built to win now. Halladay’s big-money contract runs through next season, and he does have a full no-trade clause. Of course, clauses can be waived, money talks…you get the idea.
Prior to last season, the Yankees chose to hold onto a number of young chips while Johan Santana was on the trade market. With Andy Pettitte close to the end of his career, Chien-Ming Wang seemingly out for a long period of time, and Joba Chamberlain regressing in the rotation, Halladay is the kind of pitcher worth emptying the tank to acquire. Every youngster except Phil Hughes should be in play – he’s too valuable to this year’s cause in the bullpen.
Austin Jackson? Sure. Lastings Milledge was once a can’t-miss outfield prospect, remember?
Manuel Banuelos, the 18-year-old strikeout artist turning heads in Charleston? No problem. The Yankees are in the business of winning now. If a player isn’t on the Major League roster and is eligible to be traded, he’s expendable.
It’s not likely that Ricciardi would move Halladay to a divisional rival, and if this situation does indeed develop, a number of teams will put together packages for the ace that may trump what the Yankees could offer.
Still, he’d look so good pitching alongside CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett down the stretch that a phone call must be placed.
YES Blog 
That’s a ballsy attitude to be willing to part with Ajax and Mban. But it’s almost scary how right you are. The Yanks have been stocking up young guns for a while now, isn’t it time to take another risk? If it were those two prospects and maybe a couple other low-level minor leaguers, I would do it for Halladay.
I totally agree. AJ might even be an attraction for Doc. But will it take selling the farm. Time will tell.
If your going to give up Ajax and MBan for a win this year and next you should get an OF also. Make it a block buster trade. I would send Ajax, Mban, Miranda, Kennedy, a catching prospect and or wang. I would then ask for Halladay and Wells. It would be like the becket, lowell trade. Jays would save a huge amount of money, get top prospects all but Ajax and Mban blocked. So yanks loose alot but could win the next two WS.
It amazes me how just last year, Yankee fans were killing Brian Cashman for holding on to Phil Hughes and now, after 15 innings in the bullpen, he is all of a sudden an untouchable. If the Yankees want a division rival to trade them arguably the best pitcher in baseball, Hughes is probably just a starting point. AJax, Montero, Melancon, Joba…they all come into play. The Blue Jays have absolutely no incentive to just give away a bonafide ace to a team they’ll face 19 times a year. They will — and should — ask for a king’s ransom, and that’s why a trade like this would never get done in-season anyway.
I think if you have a chance to get arguably one of the best pitcher’s in baseball u have to do whatever it takes to get him. We all know great pitching wins championships. I also think that the Yankees really nead halladay because of the fact that joba is not doing good at all coming off of his worst outing of his career and wang who has not been good since being injured just went back on the DL. So the Yankee rotation after the big three is not looking good right now not to mention the Yankees are going to start Alfredo Aceves on Thursday. So when you think about it the Yankees really need Hallady or another descent starting pitcher.
Doc Halladay in pinstripes, absolutely!! If we don’t get him either the Sox, Phillies, or Angels will. Putting together a package of Austin Jackson, with Pena and one of the pitching prospects would be a smart move. Yet, on the side of concern, Doc didn’t look all that impressive against us over the weekend. He just got off the DL. Hope Jays sudden comments to get rid of him is not a hope of suckering Yanks into taking damaged goods. If a deal is made, Cashman had better be extra careful in checking the medical reports on the guy, which I know they would. Otherwise, go get him!!
we didnt pull the trigger on the johan deal i hope if we get a chance to get a player of ROY HALLADAYS caliber that we would pull out all the all the stops to bring him to NEW YORK im a long time fan and its been awhile that we WON a CHAMPIONSHIP and its all about RINGS in the BRONX so MR.CASHMAN PLEASE MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
Do what needs to be done to get Halladay. Maybe lose some prospects to get him. Then turn around and use Molina and someone else to get some back from somewhere else?
Just a general comment?Wasn?t it nice to watch a game without Michael Kays constant babble. He is a nice enough guy but his knowledge of baseball is very limited.
Do other Yankee fan note how there is less talk when any other combination of announcers is on?
And also what a treat not to hear the pitch count after almost every pitch.
Yes i agree we should get R halladay we had been loosing to the Red Sox alot this year, until now we have Great Pitchers sabathia AJ pettitte with hallladay in the mix waoo it will be a solution to the 10 years with out a Ring Cash Man Remember we cant loose out on this deal just like johan santana, we dont get him Red Sox Will We cant let that happend Please get it done
Glenn,
This is your old pal Joe just wanting to comment on this blog. I couldn’t agree with you more. Roy Halladay would put the Yankees over the top. I know you’ve cited that the Jays wouldn’t trade within the division and I disagree with that. If the right package came along, the Jays would absolutely trade to the Yankees or Red Sox for the good of their organization. Let’s not forget this was a team that traded David Cone in his prime years, while they were still a winning organization, to the Yankees for the “right” package. That’s the beauty of baseball, anything can happen.
Hey everyone. Glenn here. Love the comments! Let’s go in chronological order:
Lennysyankees – this club is built for NOW, not the future. Halladay is the kind of pitcher you empty the farm for!
Heck the Mets cleaned out their closet and Minnesota still may not have gotten much for Johan. But that’s another story.
Yankeexx- agreed, maybe Burnett is a selling point.
Witte01 – Adding Wells (or Rios) might be a pipe dream, but this team, IMO, clearly needs another OF.
Sapster – there’s always a deal to be made. If the right package comes along, from whomever, Toronto will listen.
Jeterfan26- Agreed as well. Joba & Pettitte have been inconsistent, Wang appears lost. Another quality arm would be huge.
cny, shonda, untamed, Robert – I’m hoping that perhaps a lesson was learned when the Yanks had a shot to get a proven ace in Johan, which they may have been able to do without giving up Phil Huge, and didn’t.
Joe – You’re right about Coney, and I also read Steven Goldman’s fine piece on Cone in the Pinstriped Bible. It’s a different regime now than the one that moved Cone, so there’s no guarantee that their philosophies are the same.
I do believe that when push comes to shove, Ricciardi’s going to have to take the best offer for Halladay wherever it comes from, even if that means a ransom from the Yankees, although I do think he’d prefer it not come from an A.L. East team. But like I said, best offer should win here.
From Yanks’ perspective, would you trade Joba, Melky, Cano and a minor leaguer for Halladay?
What we really need to do is get another superstar pitcher………………….NOt.
Then we have to dish out another CC deal to keep him.
Check his career record after the all star break, not exactly awsome.
How about we save prospects we got reshuffle with what we have and use the tallent we have.
Theo’s not giving up the young cheap stable of pitching they have. He is running a better sytem and spending less money, smart buisness.
If I ever saw Halladay in pinstripes I would puke, and vow to stop watching baseball.
yea halliday will be a perfect fit. A.J., C.C. Now Halliday. That will be good. it will be like the 1998 yankees winning like 108 games.
I would definately get Halladay because he is a proven pitcher who knows how to win games. I think the yankees should give up some of their young prospects along with guys like Joba who is totally under performing right now. So he’s young, babying him and watching his pitch counts ain’t cutting it.