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Boston’s Roy Halladay Offer

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5:29pm: ESPN's Peter Gammons echoes Heyman's report, and adds that Josh Reddick is the positional prospect that would have gone to Toronto.

MONDAY, 3:01pm: So what did the Red Sox actually offer for Halladay?  SI's Jon Heyman heard Buchholz, Masterson, Bowden, Hagadone, and a positional prospect.  Should Ricciardi have pulled the trigger on this 5-for-1 blockbuster?

SUNDAY, 1:12pm: Amalie Benjamin of the Boston Globe reports that Epstein has denied the rumors. When asked if there was any truth to the rumored offer for Halladay, Epstein responded with a simple "Nope."

10:14am: Last month, Theo Epstein said Boston aggressively pursued Roy Halladay at the deadline and that their final offer was "probably the best offer [J.P. Ricciardi] received." According to Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun, that  may have been a 6-for-1 offer of Clay Buchholz, Justin Masterson, Daniel Bard, Michael Bowden, Felix Doubront, and Nick Hagadone.

One National League scout is quoted having "zero idea why they didn't take the Boston offer." Elliott cites a Toronto scout who says the Jays didn't take the offer for two reasons: 1) They weren't confident Masterson would succeed as a starter, and 2) they were afraid of Halladay beating them in 2010.

The same scout is quoted, "We don't have a quality arm like Halladay," said the scout, "but I've seen four of those (Red Sox) arms and they're quality. Hit on three of six and you'd be fertile for a long time."

What do you think? Does this seem uncharacteristic of Theo Epstein?

Odds And Ends: Pirates, Bard, Padres, Rolen

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More links for the afternoon…

  • MLB.com's Ian Browne says Daniel Bard has essentially become "untouchable." Of course few players other than Tim Lincecum and Evan Longoria really are untouchable, but it sounds like the Red Sox really like their young reliever.
  • ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick hears from some people within the game who credit the Pirates for gutting the team and amassing prospects instead of continuing with the "lipstick on a pig" approach they tried for years.
  • MLB.com's Corey Brock shows that the Padres improved their pitching depth and suggests they could pursue a free agent hitter this offseason.
  • Reds assistant GM Bob Miller said in his MLB.com chat that the reports on the amount the Reds owe Scott Rolen are "incorrect." So how much are the Reds paying Rolen? Miller can't say.
  • Peter Abraham of the Journal News shows that Andy Pettitte could double his $5.5MM salary if he has a strong enough finish and his incentives kick in. 

Felix & Gonzalez Were Part Of Failed Deal

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You thought the Jake Peavy deal was a surprise? The Red Sox, Mariners and Padres discussed a trade that would have made the Peavy acquisition look like the Jason Hirsh deal, according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times. Baker hears that the Red Sox gave the Mariners the chance to choose five of the following players in exchange for Felix Hernandez:

  • Clay Buchholz
  • Daniel Bard 
  • Justin Masterson 
  • Nick Hagadone 
  • Michael Bowden 
  • Felix Doubront 
  • Josh Reddick 
  • Yamaico Navarro 

The Mariners apparently turned down the deal, at which point the Padres became involved in discussions about a possible three-way trade. The Mariners would have received Adrian Gonzalez, Buchholz and prospects in the deal. They would have sent Felix to the Red Sox and dealt Brandon Morrow, Phillippe Aumont and Carlos Triunfel to the Padres, who would have received prospects from the Red Sox as well. In the end, Baker says the Mariners nixed the deal.

Adrian Gonzalez Rumors: Friday

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1:55pm: From Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports: the Dodgers are making a run at Gonzalez and Bell (separately or together); they could send James Loney to San Diego in such a deal.

12:26pm: A Jayson Stark source says the asking price for Gonzalez is "astronomical, three times the asking price on Halladay."

12:04pm: SI's Jon Heyman hears the Red Sox are still in talks for Gonzalez.  Buchholz, Lowrie, and Masterson are "in the mix" with the Padres asking for Westmoreland and Anderson.  Heyman adds, "However, the sides are still pretty far apart, and Boston is still in the mix for Martinez."  Heyman also says Bell's name has come up in these talks.

11:35am: MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo via Twitter: "I'm hearing odds of Padres dealing Gonzalez are very low at this point."  Bonus: Mayo's Twitter background has a Magic Eye effect.

10:22am: ESPN's Jayson Stark says the Red Sox still "have pokers in the fire" on Gonzalez, Martinez, and Roy Halladay.  Stark continues to suggest the Sox may try to include a third team to faciliate one of these deals.

6:45am: Mark Feinsand and Bill Madden of the New York Daily News say the Red Sox are in "full pursuit" of Gonzalez, and believe Boston could get Heath Bell too if they're willing to include pitcher Daniel Bard.  Also, Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald confirms that the Red Sox are more interested in Gonzalez than Victor Martinez. 

12:51am: We heard yesterday that the Padres and Red Sox spoke at length Wednesday night about a possible Adrian Gonzalez trade. However, there was no indication the talks had developed by the end of the day. Not only are the Red Sox discussing a three-way deal with the Indians and another club, they're involved on the Gonzalez front as well. Here's the latest:

  • Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports that there are indications the talks were active late last night and will likely peak today.
  • It would be surprising if this were not the case, but Kevin Towers is asking for "a ton" in return for Gonzalez, according to Cafardo's source.  
  • The teams are discussing Clay Buchholz, Lars Anderson, Jed Lowrie, Ryan Westmoreland, Justin Masterson and others.
  • A rival executive told Jon Heyman of SI.com he believes the Red Sox prefer Gonzalez to Victor Martinez.

Roy Halladay Rumors: Wednesday

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10:19pm: As we learned earlier today, Rosenthal and Morosi say that Halladay hasn't ruled out waiving his no-trade clause to come to the Rangers. The Rangers are optimistic their payroll issues will be fixed next year, and despite current difficulties, Morosi and Rosenthal wonder if the prospects might be good enough to entice Ricciardi to include money in a deal. Still, such a deal seems like a longshot.

8:43pm: Scott Miller at CBS Sports gives his take on the discussions, noting that there are "obstacles aplenty" to getting a deal done. One exec wonders about the motivations behind their making Halladay available: "If you wait and do it in the offseason, you're going to get less than you get now.

"Because if you trade him now, the team that gets him gets him for two playoff runs [this year and next; Halladay is signed through 2010]. That makes it more reasonable that they would get maximum value for him."

Another scout questions the Red Sox' ability to land Halladay without a glut of high-level prospects at AA and AAA, which would make it tough to strike a deal without including a third team. Additionally, the Angels have reportedly traded these names with the Blue Jays: Erick Aybar, Kevin Jepsen, Brandon Wood, Jeff Mathis, Bobby Wilson, Sean Rodriguez, Jered Weaver and others.

6:58pm: The race still has a little life–Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal are reporting that the Rays consider themselves a "longshot" to land Halladay due to the cost in money and prospects, but still believe they're "in the mix" for him. They're also focusing their sights on relief help.

4:39pm: Bill Shaikin and Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times report that the Dodgers have discussed softening their stance on Chad Billingsley and would consider making him available in a trade, but they're still not expected to do so.

4:24pm: Ricciardi tells MLB.com's Jordan Bastian that he probably won't deal Halladay to the Phillies now that they have Lee. The Jays are still talking with other teams, including the Red Sox.

4:01pm: Rosenthal and Morosi report that the Rays are no longer pursuing Halladay. Instead, they'll look for bullpen help, just a day after they considered trading relievers away. 

2:14pm: Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald reports that the Red Sox are focused on their talks with the Blue Jays. However, Ryan Westmoreland and Casey Kelly are "off-limits" and the Red Sox want to keep Daniel Bard. 

1:43pm: Ricciardi tells Sherman he expects to keep Halladay through 2010 and try to win next year.

1:40pm: Ricciardi still says he'd have to be wowed to move Halladay, according to Peter Gammons of ESPN.com. Gammons says it doesn't look like there's a "wow" deal out there.

1:32pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi hear that Halladay would consider a deal to the Rangers, but would be more likely to accept deals to Boston, the Dodgers, the Angels or the Yankees.

1:28pm: Joel Sherman of the New York Post says the Blue Jays wouldn't accept Jason Knapp as the centerpiece of a deal and instead insisted on obtaining Kyle Drabek. Sherman cites an executive who says the Red Sox have the best chance of obtaining Halladay now that the Phillies will acquire Lee.

1:17pm: Ricciardi tells Danny Knobler of CBS Sports that Halladay will "definitely" pitch for the Blue Jays tonight. Meanwhile, Heyman wonders if the Jays will be "stuck" with Halladay now that Boston's talking a lot about Victor Martinez.

1:14pm: ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that the Blue Jays haven't made significant progress towards a possible Halladay deal. Instead, a source tells Olney "all is quiet."

12:37pm: Ed Price of AOL FanHouse reports that the Phillies are doing "nothing" with the Blue Jays right now.

11:54am: Rosenthal and Morosi say the Blue Jays lose leverage if the Phillies acquire Cliff Lee. The Jays would then have to accept an offer from Boston or consider other, possibly inferior, proposals. The Yankees, Rangers and Dodgers are still "on the periphery" of the Halladay talks.

10:23am: MLB.com's Todd Zolecki hears Marson and Donald were scheduled to get the day off. Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail  hears that Carrasco's absence from the game has nothing to do with Halladay. 

10:04am: As many readers have noted, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald and Lou Marson aren't in the lineup for the Phillies' Triple A team this afternoon. It could be a coincidence, but it's of interest at least, since all are possible trade candidates and Carrasco was expected to start. Michael Taylor is batting fifth.

9:00am: Here's a quick recap of all the Roy Halladay rumors we heard yesterday: J.P. Ricciardi's self-imposed deadline passed, but the rumors persist; the Jays continue to demand Kyle Drabek in any trade; the Phillies are divided on how much to give up for Doc; the Rangers are still involved, and so are the Red Sox, who were more aggressive than ever yesterday and may be prepared to deal Clay Buchholz and other top prospects for Halladay. Got it? Now for today's rumors:

  • Michael Silverman and Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald report that the Blue Jays have turned down a Red Sox proposal, but the Red Sox haven't turned any offers down from the Jays. 
  • Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times hears from a source who says the Dodgers aren't willing to part with the talent it would take to acquire Halladay or Cliff Lee. Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley are off-limits.
  • Jon Heyman of SI.com talked to a number of executives around the league who believe Halladay will be dealt, probably to the Phillies. As one GM says "there's no putting the genie back in the bottle." 
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears that Yankees GM Brian Cashman spoke with Ricciardi yesterday, something he does regularly. The Jays would want Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes from the Yanks for Halladay if the Yankees start pursuing him aggressively.
  • Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun hears that the Blue Jays have found a new team president to take over after the season. Until then Paul Beeston is very much a part of the team's decisions, including any possible Halladay trades.

Roy Halladay Rumors: Tuesday

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11:02pm: It appears we've passed J.P. Ricciardi's self-imposed deadline to deal Halladay. We probably should just pack it in, huh? Nah. MLB.com's Jordan Bastian has the word from Ricciardi, who dismisses the "soft" deadline he laid out. Still, Bastian reports that they're no closer to making a decision, and that it appears more and more likely Doc remains a Blue Jay. And so it goes.

9:11pm: Gordon Edes at Yahoo has a pretty big update on the discussions. It appears the Red Sox have amped up their efforts to obtain the Doc, and they're willing to include Buchholz, one of Lars Anderson, Justin Masterson or Michael Bowden, and lesser prospects to fill out the rest of the offer.

Edes also reneges on his earlier report that Westmoreland had been part of a Red Sox proposal, and thinks that any reports about the Red Sox involving a third team to get a shortstop to Toronto are untrue.

7:07pm: Jon Heyman tweets an AL executive's comment that Clay Buchholz, Michael Bowden and Ryan Westmoreland "won't get it done" to obtain Halladay.

6:44pm: T.R. Sullivan at MLB.com says that the Rangers are reluctant to part with their top prospects for Halladay. The Blue Jays reportedly asked for a king's ransom of Derek Holland, Justin Smoak and Julio Borbon.

5:00pm: ESPN.com's Keith Law hears that the Red Sox have no intention of including Westmoreland in any deal. 

4:40pm: Jayson Stark reports that the same Blue Jays scout who watched Kyle Drabek pitch last night will be in Lehigh Valley to watch as shortstop Jason Donald comes off the DL for his first start since June. Both minor leaguers could be part of a Phils-Jays trade.

3:59pm: Dan Roche, an anchor for WBZTV, hears that the Red Sox did not offer Buchholz, Bowden and Westmoreland for Halladay.

1:57pm: Yahoo's Gordon Edes reports that the Red Sox offered "at least" Clay Buchholz, Michael Bowden and Ryan Westmoreland to the Blue Jays for Halladay.  In my opinion, that is a very strong offer.  Edes says the Jays would like to acquire a shortstop since they are "vigorously shopping" Marco Scutaro.  That means the Sox might need to get creative.

Edes says Daniel Bard and Casey Kelly "have been declared off-limits by the Red Sox."  And while the Dodgers deem Clayton Kershaw untouchable, they've at least discussed internally the possibility of moving Chad Billingsley.  Billingsley might be the best name we've heard yet in connection with Halladay, though remember that Edes labeled that an internal discussion.

1:29pm: The Associated Press (via ESPN) reports that Rogers Communications, the company that owns the Blue Jays, wants to bring its costs under control. The Blue Jays have said they don't have to deal Halladay, who has over $20MM left on his contract, for financial reasons.

1:12pm: ESPN.com's Jayson Stark says the Blue Jays and Phillies both need to complete a Roy Halladay trade. Ruben Amaro Jr. will be criticized if he can't get Halladay and J.P. Ricciardi's chance to get more than one impact player for his ace disappears at 4:01 EST on Friday.

12:53pm: Sherman says the Rangers are very much involved in the Halladay talks. The Jays want three of the Rangers' best prospects. Not only is GM Jon Daniels reluctant to give up that much talent, he has limited financial flexibility and the Blue Jays are refusing to take on salary.

The Jays want high-ceiling, MLB-ready players instead of many players who are further from contributing in the majors.

10:55am: Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail says many top Blue Jays people are deciding whether to trade Halladay. It's not just Ricciardi's decision.

Meanwhile, SI's Tom Verducci weighs in.  He talked to a scout who spoke of an organizational "tug of war" in Philly, with Pat Gillick and Charlie Manuel pushing the win-now move for Doc while Ruben Amaro Jr. and other player development guys are reluctant to move top prospects.

Verducci says Carlos Carrasco doesn't do anything for the Jays, and they'll require either Drabek or Jason Knapp.  The Angels and Dodgers are the other top suitors for Halladay, in Verducci's opinion.

10:07am: Joel Sherman of the New York Post hears that the Blue Jays insist on receiving Drabek because they consider Happ a middle-to-back-of-the-rotation starter. They want Happ, but may relent if the Phillies give up Drabek.

The Phillies remain favorites to add Doc, but the Red Sox and Rangers could still acquire him.

9:04am: Here's a quick summary of yesterday's Roy Halladay rumors, 15 updates and nearly 400 comments later. The Phillies and Jays reached an "impasse" in their negotiations since neither side wanted to change its offer. The Red Sox are planning a big move, but the Jays would ask the Red Sox or Yankees to give up more than other teams. And what about those other teams? Don't expect the Twins to trade for Halladay, and the Dodgers don't seem likely either. Here are today's rumors:

Tim Dierkes also contributed to this post.

Heyman On Washburn, Halladay, Red Sox, Rangers

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Let's dig into the latest from SI's Jon Heyman.

  • The Yankees called the Mariners Saturday to inquire on Jarrod Washburn, and were told at the time that the Ms weren't ready to sell.  Perhaps that has since changed, based on today's report from Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi.  Here's my question: was Seattle's decision to hold on to Washburn last summer prudent, or did they just get lucky?  Heyman says Bronson Arroyo is a "fallback option" for the Yanks should the Reds change course and offer to eat significant salary.
  • Heyman gives his take on the Roy Halladay situation, explaining where suitors such as the Phillies, Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, Rangers, and Dodgers sit.  Heyman still sees the Phils as the favorite.  He says the Dodgers "are more focused on Cliff Lee than Halladay" but don't want to break up their Major League roster.  Good luck with that.  One Heyman source suggested the Red Sox would need to give up Clay Buchholz, Daniel Bard, and Jed Lowrie (Gordon Edes says Bard is off-limits).
  • Heyman also talks a bit about Boston's interest in major bats Victor Martinez and Adrian Gonzalez.
  • Heyman finds the Rangers unlikely to acquire Halladay or Cliff Lee, though they have expressed interest.  The Rangers won't be restricted, at least by MLB, because of Tom Hicks' financial woes.  I don't see why the money owed to Halladay would be an issue for any club.  He's a massive bargain.
  • The Angles have yet to cop to interest in Rays starter Scott Kazmir.  Heyman guesses Tampa Bay would love to be free of Kazmir's contract ($24.8MM through 2011 doesn't seem too burdensome though).  Earlier today the lefty was connected to the Rangers and Mets by Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
  • Heyman speculates that one reason the Cards would like to extend Matt Holliday is to impress Albert Pujols.

Odds & Ends: White, White Sox, Bard, Willingham

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More links as the rumors keep flowing in…

Tim Dierkes contributed to this post.

Rosenthal On Astros, Marquis, DeRosa, Francoeur

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Let's take a look at the latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

  • Rosenthal recommends the Astros trade veterans to improve their bottom-ranked farm system.  He'd especially like to see Houston make Roy Oswalt available.  They'd have take Oswalt's no-trade clause into consideration.
  • The Phillies continue to seek a starter, and they made an inquiry on Colorado's Jason Marquis.  Rosenthal finds Erik Bedard "perhaps the most intriguing fit" and notes that the Phils probably have flexibility to add payroll.  This question came up in a recent chat…I do think the Phillies have the pieces to pull off a Bedard trade.
  • The Brewers are not going after Cleveland's Mark DeRosa, as they cannot spare Major League pitching for him.  Rosenthal also finds Jake Peavy unlikely, as the Brewers probably couldn't pull off a deal without creating a new need.  Of Peavy, Rosenthal says, "He will not leave easily."
  • The Mets are interested in Nationals first baseman Nick Johnson, who is off to a .338/.445/.471 start.
  • The Royals might be the top suitor for Jeff Francoeur if the Braves shop him, but not everyone in Kansas City's front office is keen on him.  The Red Sox are known to have an eye on Francoeur.
  • Rosenthal's heard speculation that the Sox could trade Daniel Bard, whose value may be at a high point.
  • Rather than acquire someone like Yuniesky Betancourt, the Padres will stick with in-house options at shortstop (mainly Luis Rodriguez and Everth Cabrera, once they're healthy).

Odds & Ends: Proctor, Dunn, Contreras

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Links for Tuesday…

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