Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi told Joel Sherman of the New York Post that he won't provide teams with a window to negotiate a contract extension with Roy Halladay in the event that the Jays deal their ace. Ricciardi made a variety of points about potential trades:
- The Jays have only had preliminary talks with other teams and they're still trying to decide which teams to assign their scouts to.
- The Jays would like a shortstop, but they'll pursure the best prospects available.
- The team would have no trouble paying Halladay in 2010.
- Halladay did not ask the Jays to move him.
- Halladay provided a long list of places he wouldn't play, but Ricciardi didn't name any teams.
- The Jays value Halladay as a top player in the game so Ricciardi has a gut feeling he'll keep his ace this summer.
Ricciardi says it's unlikely the Jays will keep Halladay after his current deal expires:
"We have kept him from free agency twice and I don't think we have the resources to keep him from free agency a third time."
