Ricciardi: Chances Of A Deal “Very Slim”
8:00pm: FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal just heard from Ricciardi that the chances of Halladay leaving Toronto at this point are "very slim." Here's more from the general manager:
"We've said that we would listen, but that we would have to be motivated and 'wowed. Right now we haven't been. I've said all along my gut tells me I won't be. I still stand by that."
"If we get to the last week," Ricciardi added, "and haven't really made any progress with anybody, I'm not going to say it's 100 percent certain, but I would have to pretty much think it's not going to get done."
It sure sounds like the Blue Jays aren't going to lower their asking price.
7:38pm: Olney notes that the Rangers have also been handed a "this-is-what-it-would-take proposal by the Blue Jays in the last 72 hours." It's more about salary for Texas, though, than it is about prospects. Sources have deemed them "semi-alive."
7:18pm: Christian Caple of MLB.com passes along this little note:
[Halladay is] scheduled to pitch on Wednesday, but whether he makes that start is up in the air. Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi said last week he wants Halladay assured of his future when he takes the hill for that outing — in other words, if Halladay does pitch on Wednesday, supposedly, he won't be traded before the deadline.
This goes back to the self-imposed pre-July 31 deadline that Ricciardi suggested in early July. It'll be interesting to see if they stick to it.
5:21pm: According to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com, the prospect-heavy Rangers "are talking to the Blue Jays about Halladay and they have asked the Indians about Lee… but financial considerations may make any deal tough. As Sullivan adds, "The Rangers are unlikely to take on a significant salary in any deal."
4:54pm: FOX Sports reports that the Red Sox remain in the mix for Halladay as well, and the Jays have made a multiple-prospect proposal in recent days. The Jays still prefer not to deal within the division, however.
2:05pm: Jon Heyman provides an update, via Twitter, stating that the Phillies are beginning to consider Cliff Lee as an alternative to Halladay. Andy Martino of the Philadelphia Inquirer confirms this, and adds that the Phillies are expected to have a scout watching Lee in Seattle. Martino also tweets that Toronto is scouting Dominic Brown today.
11:16am: ESPN's Jayson Stark is reporting that the Blue Jays have rejected the Phillies latest offer of Carrasco, Donald, J.A. Happ and outfielder Michael Taylor. The Jays are telling interested teams they are only going to deal Halladay if they are "wowed" by an offer.
9:45am: Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports says that as of Saturday night, the Angels "were of the mind to remove themselves from the Roy Halladay talks, believing they were never going to come close to the Blue Jays’ asking price of Joe Saunders, Erick Aybar, Brandon Wood and a prospect such as outfielder Peter Bourjos."
9:36am: Late last night we learned that the Phillies were "trying to steer" the Blue Jays towards a package centered around prospects Carlos Carrasco and Jason Donald for Roy Halladay, but no agreement was imminent. Let's start the day off with a a few Halladay-related links, and add to them as we go. Make sure you check back in for updates throughout the day.
- Helene Elliott of The LA Times reports that "Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti has said the Blue Jays have identified three players on the Dodgers' major-league roster that they'd take for Halladay, but Colletti hasn't exuded optimism that a deal will get done."
- Andy Martino of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes about how all the trade talk has impacted the Phillies clubhouse.
Roy Halladay Rumors: Saturday
10:19pm: Heyman tweets that the Yankees might consider giving up Chamberlain for Halladay, but won't entertain both Chamberlain and Hughes.
8:14pm: Ray Parrillo and Jim Salisbury of The Philadelphia Inquirer report that the Phillies "were trying to steer the Blue Jays" towards a package centered around Carrasco and infielder Jason Donald.
7:53pm: Heyman tweets that the Jays suggested to the Yankees today that it would take Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, and two more for Halladay.
7:36pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com report that the Jays countered the Angels offer by asking for a four player package that included Joe Saunders, Brandon Wood, Erick Aybar, and one prospect from the group of Trevor Reckling, Peter Bourjos, and Sean O'Sullivan. They also mention that as many as five teams are talking with Toronto about Halladay.
4:17pm: According to Gordon Edes of Yahoo! Sports, the Angels "did indeed make a run at Halladay, offering Jered Weaver plus the Blue Jays' pick of outfield or infield prospects" Bottom line, it wasn't enough.
3:47pm: Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse has more. Here's his most recent tweet: "Source: 'I'd be shocked' if Phillies reverse course and include Happ [and] Drabek for Halladay. But [second] source [says] Blue Jays 'got to' have both."
3:08pm: ESPN's Jayson Stark reports the Blue Jays have presented similar proposals (or lists of desired prospects) to the Dodgers and Angels. "The ball is in their court," as Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi said Friday.
2:40pm: Jeff Blair of the Toronto Globe and Mail heard from a Jays scout that "there's one big team yet to make a play for Doc." Blair hints that one "big team" might be the Red Sox.
1:04pm: According to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian, the Phillies have formally rejected the Blue Jays' proposal. Philadelphia is reportedly opposed to giving up both Drabek and Happ.
12:43pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi at FOX Sports are reporting that the Angels have "intensified their bid" for Halladay. The Jays are said to be asking for one player from the Halos' major-league roster and "another who could make an impact in 2010."
Additionally, Jays officials are said believe Halladay's past two brilliant outings make their recent offers "reasonable." Sources don't believe a deal will be completed this weekend.
10:46am: Jayson Stark at ESPN says that the Phillies are now balking at the Blue Jays' asking price, which was formally presented Thursday as J.A. Happ, Kyle Drabek and Dominic Brown. It's believed they're hoping to substitute Carlos Carrasco for one of Happ or Drabek, particularly Drabek.
9:25am: Talks might be heating up. Jon Heyman at SI says "there's no way he stays" with the Blue Jays, as discussions with the Phils have become "intense." MLB.com's Jordan Bastian saw Halladay emerge from the clubhouse in uniform, though, so nothing's imminent for now.
3:30am: Check out the latest from Jim Salisbury of the Philadelphia Inquirer. He says that while the Jays want Drabek, Happ, and Brown for Halladay, they did send assistant GM Tony LaCava to watch Phils prospect Carlos Carrasco pitch.
Salisbury adds that the Phillies have interest in Cliff Lee, Erik Bedard, and Jarrod Washburn as backup plans, and will scout Lee Sunday.
12:20am: We learned yesterday that Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi is in serious discussions with four teams about ace pitcher Roy Halladay. The Phillies are known to be the favorite. A piece of info to kick off the Saturday post from Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail:
Know this: Halladay has told people that the Phillies are his preferred choice if he were to be traded. The Blue Jays want pitchers J.A. Happ and Kyle Drabek and one of two outfield prospects: Michael Taylor or Dominic Brown.
That's important, given Halladay's full no-trade clause. Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports agree that Halladay would approve a trade to Philly.
The Phillies and Yankees were in Toronto last night scouting Halladay's gem against the Rays, according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. Rosenthal and Morosi say "Ricciardi has yet to engage" the Yanks in trade talks though.
Despite the rumors, Doc told Bastian and other reporters after the game he feels like he's going to remain a Blue Jay. He doesn't feel the urgency for a trade on his or the team's part. Halladay also clarified his stance on free agency, for which he's eligible after the 2010 season.
Gammons’ Latest: Duke, Halladay, Reds, Rays
ESPN's Peter Gammons has a new blog post up, writing about how teams are reluctant to part with their top young players, even if they are overvaluing them. He also mixes in a little rumory goodness, so let's take a peek…
- The Pirates have indicated that it'll take "a gaggle of prospects" to move Zach Duke.
- When inquiring about Roy Halladay, the Yankees were told the price was Phil Hughes plus prospects Austin Jackson and Jesus Montero.
- One GM says "Cincinnati wants to move a few contracts, like either Bronson Arroyo or Aaron Harang, but we're not interested in giving players or taking on their money. Harang hasn't been the same guy since last May." Harang has a 4.99 ERA since a 63-pitch relief appearance on May 25th of last season.
- Another GM said "We've looked at Doug Davis, Jon Garland, Kevin Correia, Ian Snell and the long list of available starting pitchers and do not see anyone we would give A- or B-list prospects to get."
- Teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, and Dodgers are at an advantage because they can afford to restock their farm systems quickly by spending big in the draft or on the international market.
- The Rays are likely "to see what they can get" for Carl Crawford after the season, and will hold onto prospects they consider keepers.
Rosenthal’s Full Count Video: Mariners, Cardinals, Indians
Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com has a new Full Count video up. Let's round up the rumors…
- With the Mariners fading out of contention, they could make lefties Erik Bedard and Jarrod Washburn available. If they do, it could cloud the market for Roy Halladay because teams will have more options.
- One GM tells Rosenthal that the Mariners are likely to play out the weekend before deciding to sell.
- The Yankees have been in touch with Seattle, and would love to see Washburn made available again after expressing interest in him in the past.
- The Brewers remain "on the periphery" of the Halladay sweepstakes, but they aren't playing well enough to justify such a major trade.
- After moving five players and adding $6MM in salary to acquire Matt Holliday and Mark DeRosa, Albert Pujols shouldn't have any questions about ownership's commitment to winning. However with Holliday likely to leave as a free agent after the season, the team will be in the same situation again, looking for a bat to protect Pujols.
- Indians ownership would need to sign off on a deal involving catcher Victor Martinez or lefty Cliff Lee, neither of which is imminent. The team knows the Red Sox will not trade them Clay Buchholz in a package for Martinez, and moving Lee would be an even bigger blow given how thin their pitching staff is right now.
In a separate video, Rosenthal says that the Phillies and Blue Jays are still haggling over which players would be included in a potential deal for Halladay. The Angels have made a strong offer for Doc, and the Jays expect other teams to get involved this week. Meanwhile, Lee's agent Darek Braunecker says Lee has told his team that he will test the free agent waters at the end of next season after being told "no" when asking about a contract extension last spring. If traded, Lee prefers it to happen sooner rather than later.
Teams Scouting George Sherrill
Ed Price at AOL Fanhouse tweets that the Twins, Angels and Dodgers are all scouting Orioles lefty George Sherrill.
The Orioles have frequently stated they're not interested in becoming a farm system for other teams, but it's believed Sherrill will still be moved. Sherrill has also been recently linked to the Rangers, as well as the Brewers and White Sox, and recently the Marlins and Cubs. The Orioles are said to potentially want young pitching in return.
Kazmir Not On Angels’ Radar?
Mark Saxon at the O.C. Register reports that there have been no discussions in team meetings to pursue Scott Kazmir from the Rays. This conflicts with earlier reports that the Rays were scouting the Angels' farm teams and that Kazmir's name was indeed of interest, with goading from pitching coach Mike Butcher.
Saxon says GM Tony Reagins still has his sights set on a frontline starter, a la Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee, and a reliable setup man. Saxon also speculates that the Angels could have interest in some of the Rays' relievers, including J.P. Howell, Randy Choate and Grant Balfour.
A’s Rumors: Wuertz, Cabrera, Angels
Susan Slusser at the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Angels are "prepared to make a strong bid" for RHP Michael Wuertz's services. That strong bid could begin with infielder Sean Rodriguez.
However, it's unclear if the A's would be willing to trade Wuertz within the division–Wuertz is under team control for two more years.
Slusser also notes that the Twins have expressed interest in SS Orlando Cabrera, who has a .925 OPS in July, but they might not have a prospect package good enough to entice the A's.
Rosenthal’s & Morosi’s Latest: Halladay, Cabrera, Glaus
Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com say that the Phillies and Blue Jays are getting closer on a potential Roy Halladay deal, but nothing is imminent. The Rangers and Dodgers have both expressed interest in Halladay, but did not talk with Toronto on Friday. The Angels have reportedly improved their offer for the former Cy Young Award winner, but it's unlikely they'll match Philadelphia's package. The Yankees have also expressed interest, but Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi has yet to engage them in discussions.
In a separate column, Rosenthal and Morosi fork over a slew of rumory goodness…
- Don't be surprised if the Red Sox "show renewed interest" in shortstop Orlando Cabrera before the deadline. O-Cab was hitting .365-.377-.500 in his last 30 games coming into tonight.
- The addition of Matt Holliday ensures that the Cardinals will look to move Troy Glaus. The Giants, Braves, Rangers and Tigers are expected to show interest in the former AL homerun champ.
- One GM had this to say about the Holliday deal "In light of the current climate, good return on a 70-game guy. All based on what (Wallace) turns out to be. We are not high on the other two guys."
- Meanwhile, a scout offered this about Brett Wallace: "He can hit but he throws like a girl. They acquired a DH — I think he might be Jack Cust Jr. with fewer Ks. (Outfielder Shane) Peterson is the hidden gem!"
- The Jays are pushing Scott Rolen and Kevin Millar in trade talks, while a number of their bullpen arms are drawing interest.
- The Marlins expressed interest in Holliday at one point, but wanted the A's to pick up most of the money owed to him this year. The Reds also inquired.
- A bid to get Holliday ended for the Tigers when the A's asked for prospects Casey Crosby and Scott Sizemore.
- Anaheim is indeed interested in Scott Kazmir, spurred on by input from pitching coach Mike Butcher, who once held the same position with Tampa.
- The Cubs don't appear to be in any serious talks to acquire another catcher.
- One scout familiar with the Reds said they "are listening on about everyone."
- The Rangers have interest in lefty relievers George Sherrill and Scott Downs.
- Sherrill is also on the White Sox's radar.
- Oakland is reluctant to move reliever Michael Wuertz, but there is so much interest in him that the team might get the return it desires.
- A number of clubs are expected to watch Justin Duchscherer on his rehab assignment as he comes back from elbow surgery.
- The article closes with an amusing text message exchange between Skip Schumaker and Mark DeRosa.
Angels Rumors: Betancourt, Abreu, ‘Pen
A few Angels rumors, from Bill Shaikin of the LA Times:
- The Angels tried to acquire Rafael Betancourt before the Indians dealt him to Colorado yesterday.
- Manager Mike Scioscia says he wants Bobby Abreu to return next year. The 35-year-old outfielder will become a free agent after the season.
- The Angels could add an ace pitcher, but adding a reliever seems more likely.
Odds & Ends: Orioles, Angels, Rangers
It's getting late for big news, but do GMs (or beat writers) ever sleep this time of year? Still a chance for some bedtime stories. Here are some sheep for the non-believers to count:
- Jeff Zrebiec at the Baltimore Sun checks in on five players teams could be targeting on the Orioles and his predictions on where they might end up.
- Though he says he's fine with the current roster, Angels manager Mike Scioscia says that GM Tony Reagins has been active, reports Rhett Bollinger at MLB.com. Scioscia wants a bullpen arm.
- Marty Noble at MLB.com answers questions about what the Mets might do at the deadline.
- Jeff Wilson at the Dallas Morning News says Tanner Scheppers' agent vouches for the top pick's desire to sign with the Rangers, though talks have progressed little.
- Bill Ladson at MLB.com has an extensive and fairly candid chat with Nationals owner Mark Lerner.
- Tommy Rancel at Inside the Rays previews the team's targets and candidates to be moved.