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Angels Rumors: Aybar, Harang, Bell

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Mike DiGiovanna at the L.A. Times talked to Angels GM Tony Reagins, who said "There are various scenarios we're working on." DiGiovanna says they're still very much in the mix for Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, but summarizes a bit of news and lists intriguing potential targets should talks for the aces fail:

  • The Blue Jays reportedly asked for Erick Aybar, Jered Weaver or Joe Saunders, Brandon Wood, and one of either Trevor Reckling or Peter Bourjos.
  • The Angels might not have the top-flight pitching prospects the Indians desire in return for Lee.
  • The second tier of their pursuits for a starter could include Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo, Jarrod Washburn, Jon Garland, or Ian Snell. Chances for this kind of deal are slim, DiGiovanna notes.
  • Among relief help being sought by the Angels: Brandon League, Scott Downs, George Sherrill and Chad Qualls. The Halos' offers for Michael Wuertz and Heath Bell have apparently been turned down.

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.

Rays, Red Sox Talking Blockbusters With Tribe

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4:33pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports hear that the Rays may be shying away from a blockbuster deal. They're 5.0 games behind Boston in the Wild Card race, so their next two games against the Yankees could determine the team's direction.

If the Rays are discouraged after the Yankees series, they could make Dan Wheeler, Chad Bradford, Grant Balfour, Joe Nelson and Lance Cormier available, according to the FOX Sports source.

12:59pm: The Rays have shopped Scott Kazmir to the Mets and Rangers, according to Joel Sherman. The Rangers turned down an offer from the Rays and the Mets just had initial interest. The Rays would consider dealing Kazmir, Carlos Pena and even Carl Crawford to free up enough salary to make a blockbuster deal for Martinez and Lee.

The Rays still have interest in Halladay.

TUESDAY, 11:16am: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has more dish on the idea of a team acquiring both Lee and V-Mart in a blockbuster trade.  The idea has been considered in Cleveland but is considered very unlikely due to the magnitude of prospects required.  While the Red Sox could technically pull it off, the Rays wouldn't have the payroll space.

MONDAY, 4:35pm: Ed Price of AOL FanHouse hears the Rays are still "in on" V-Mart and Lee. There's still a chance that they'll trade Scott Kazmir to the Angels, too.

1:35pm: The Rays and Red Sox are each discussing blockbuster deals with the Indians for both Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Here are the details and the rest of Sherman's rumors:

  • The Rays would deal Wade Davis, but the Red Sox are hesitant to deal Clay Buchholz.
  • The Phillies, Brewers and Rangers have interest in Lee and the Giants have interest in V-Mart.  
  • One executive is "1,000%" confident the Indians will move Lee and Martinez to free up money.
  • An AL executive says the Phillies will acquire Lee, Roy Halladay or Jarrod Washburn by Friday afternoon.
  • The Padres may be more willing to deal Heath Bell than expected. As one official says, Bell will be an expensive closer on a bad team if the Padres don't trade him.   
  • The Yankees have been interested in Bell, whose value is higher than ever. 

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.

Twins Targeting Relievers & Infielders

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The Twins are targeting teams with both infielders and relievers available in the hopes of addressing their two biggest needs in one trade, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. John Grabow and Freddy Sanchez could be packaged together, as could Michael Wuertz and Orlando Cabrera. The Twins are still interested in Marco Scutaro and the Blue Jays have appealing relievers in Jason Frasor, Scott Downs and Brandon League.

The Twins would like to add a starter now that Kevin Slowey is out indefinitely, but they don't expect to acquire one. 

Reds Still Eyeing Scott Rolen

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TUESDAY, 11:14am: Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports says the Reds "haven't ruled out" a Rolen acquisition, but must wait to see what the Jays do with Roy Halladay first.

MONDAY, 3:57pm: Danny Knobler of CBS Sports says the Reds are not sellers and have continued discussions with the Blue Jays about Scott Rolen. Knobler says there's a chance they'll acquire him to solidify their light-hitting lineup.

The Reds have had discussions with other teams about trading pitchers, but Knobler hears they would only make a deal that helps the team this year.

2:29pm: Jeff Fletcher of AOL FanHouse hears that the Reds are close to making a deal after top team officials spoke on a conference call this morning. The Reds, fifth in the NL Central, are sellers and have pitchers like Bronson Arroyo, Aaron Harang and Francisco Cordero who could all appeal to teams seeking pitching.

The Dodgers have interest in Arroyo and Harang, but only if their pursuit of Cliff Lee falls through. The Reds would likely have to take on salary in any deal involving Harang or Arroyo.

Angels Turning Their Attention To Lee

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Tim Brown and Gordon Edes of Yahoo! Sports report that the Angels have "shifted their emphasis" to Cliff Lee after being frustrated in their pursuit of Roy Halladay. The Halos do not want to part with Joe Saunders, Erick Aybar, Brandon Wood, and another prospect for a single pitcher, even one as great as Halladay, and they believe they can land Lee with a lesser package.

The article also mentions that the Angels are also looking for a power arm to add to their pen.

Roy Halladay Rumors: Monday

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8:58pm: Joe Christensen of The Star Tribune says the Twins asked about Halladay, but were told they weren't on the list of teams he would approve a trade to.

7:27pm: Joe McDonald and Paul Kenyon of The Providence Journal say that Ricciardi wanted pitchers Clay Buchholz, Casey Kelly, and another top prospect from the Red Sox in exchange for Halladay.

6:10pm: Zolecki tweets that a "Phillies spokesman said from their point of view there is no animosity between themselves and any team they're talking to."

5:34pm: Joel Sherman of The NY Post says that the Jays will go right up to the 4pm deadline on Friday if need be. He also mentions that Ricciardi is "emphasizing a need for at least one player to move directly onto the major league roster."

4:33pm: Price hears the Rays have backed off Halladay for now, because the Blue Jays are asking for so much.

3:47pm: A Blue Jays person tells Ed Price of AOL FanHouse that the Jays want "every last good guy" in a team's system if they're going to part with Halladay.

3:18pm: ESPN.com's Jayson Stark hears that talks are "not going well" between the Blue Jays and Phillies. The Jays are not lowering their demands, which include Happ, Drabek and Brown. Because the Blue Jays are "not blinking," the Phils are also considering Cliff Lee, who also figures to cost the team top prospects.

The Blue Jays would rather not trade within the division, but could deal with the Red Sox or Rays since talks with the Phillies are "deteriorating." The Rangers are a possibile fit, but the Blue Jays will not take on Halladay's salary in any trade.

1:48pm: A high-ranking official involved in talks between the Jays and Phillies tells Heyman there's a 5% chance a deal happens. Neither side seems willing to modify its proposal, but that could change before Friday.

1:14pm: Two sources tell MLB.com's Todd Zolecki that the Blue Jays' demands are reasonable. However, the Phillies don't want to compromise future teams by trading Happ, Drabek and Brown.

1:07pm: Heyman hears that the Phils and Jays are at an "impasse" right now. We still have 100 hours until the deadline, so there's time to overcome it.

1:04pm: ESPN.com's Buster Olney hears that dialogue between the Phillies and Blue Jays has become angry as they discuss prospects.

12:28pm: Yahoo's Gordon Edes hears that the Red Sox could potentially offer the Jays Clay Buchholz and Daniel Bard plus minor leaguers such as Michael Bowden, Junichi Tazawa and Casey Kelly. However, Edes' source says the Red Sox aren't going to "give up the farm" in any trade.

12:19pm: Jon Heyman says the Phillies remain the frontrunners for Halladay. Don't completely rule out the Red Sox, Yankees and Dodgers, but a trade to any of those clubs seems highly unlikely.

10:11am: Vernon Wells and Aaron Hill told Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun that they expect Halladay to remain a Jay. Elliott says the Phillies, Red Sox and Angels have the best chance of obtaining Doc.

9:22am: J.P. Ricciardi's self-imposed deadline to trade Roy Halladay is just a day away. We know the Giants aren't trading for him and Ricciardi said the chances of any deal are "very slim". Here are the latest rumors as we begin the week of the trade deadline:

  • A source "essentially confirmed" to Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News that the Jays rejected a package of J.A. Happ, Carlos Carrasco, Michael Taylor and Jason Donald for Halladay, after the Phils rejected the Jays' offer of Happ, Kyle Drabek and Dominic Brown. We'd heard this before, but we have confirmation now.
  • The Yankees are reluctant to part with prospects and take on salary, so they're showing no signs of interest in Halladay or Cliff Lee, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  
  • Red Sox chairman Tom Werner said GM Theo Epstein "is burning the midnight oil" in possible trade talks and is discussing the top names available, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.

Scouting Update: Indians, Jays, Phils, Yankees

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With just a few days remaining before the trade deadline, scouts are evaluating rival players throughout the majors and minors. Here are a few updates on who's scouting who:

Heyman On Washburn, Halladay, Red Sox

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1:21pm: Heyman hears that Adrian Gonzalez may be Boston's top target now, especially since discussions about Victor Martinez aren't progressing.

11:51am: Jon Heyman of SI.com has the latest on Roy Halladay and the next-best options for pitching-starved teams. Here are the details:

  • The Yankees called the Mariners about Jarrod Washburn over the weekend. The Mariners say they aren't selling now, but that could change this week.
  • The Yanks would have to give up "a top prospect or two" to acquire Washburn.
  • Bronson Arroyo could be an option for the Yankees, but the Reds haven't offered to take on any of the $17MM remaining on his deal.
  • The Yankees have a miniscule chance of acquiring Halladay. They wouldn't part with both Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain for him, but they might trade one.
  • An executive involved in the Halladay talks says "it's early," since no one's taking tomorrow's pre-deadline too seriously. 
  • Sensing they don't have much of a chance at Halladay, the Dodgers are more focused on Cliff Lee.
  • The Red Sox could still make a big move, but don't expect them to deal for Halladay. The Blue Jays could ask for Clay Buchholz, Jed Lowrie and Daniel Bard, according to one of Heyman's sources.  
  • Victor Martinez remains an option for the Red Sox, who talk with the Indians "all the time."
  • The Red Sox are keeping an eye on Adrian Gonzalez, who's not available now. 
  • Bud Selig says he won't prevent the Rangers from taking on payroll even though the commissioner's office has helped Rangers owner Tom Hicks make payments. 
  • The Rangers have inquired on Halladay and Lee. 
  • The Cardinals will try hard to extend Matt Holliday.
  • The Rockies are still looking for a reliever. 
  • The Giants scouted Nick Johnson and Josh Willingham this weekend.
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