1:00pm: Ricciardi told MLB.com's Jordan Bastian that he's not shopping Halladay, he's just open to hearing offers. The Jays would have to be overwhelmed to make a deal.
8:20am: Roy Halladay might be the best pitcher in the game; he's definitely the best pitcher on the trade market. Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that he's ready to listen to offers for his ace pitcher.
"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 more toward listening than we've ever been."
We heard hints that Halladay could be available yesterday, but now there's no doubt: the Jays are ready to part with him in the right deal. Rosenthal believes "Halladay is a goner," saying it's "almost impossible to stop" the process of selling a player once it starts, but Ricciardi said the Jays won't deal Halladay if the right offer doesn't surface.
Given teams' unwillingness to take on salary and part with prospects, there's no guarantee that the Jays will receive a blockbuster offer. Halladay has a no trade clause and is under contract for this year ($14.25MM) and next ($15.75MM). The Jays also owe Alex Rios and Vernon Wells about $160MM over the next five seasons, which could make it harder to pay Halladay.
