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Rosenthal’s Full Count Video: Mariners, Cardinals, Indians

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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.

Rosenthal’s & Morosi’s Latest: Halladay, Cabrera, Glaus

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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.

Yankees Looking At Downs

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Jeff Blair of The Globe And Mail passes along a note that the Yankees are looking at Blue Jays closer Scott Downs. In today's massive Roy Halladay thread we learned that the Yanks had scouts in Toronto tonight, and we've known that they're on the look out for arms.  

Downs has been tremendous again this year, pitching to a 2.08 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP in 30.1 IP. A case could be made that he's been the most underappreciated reliever in the American League over the last few seasons.

Roy Halladay Rumors: Friday

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7:46pm: Bob Elliot of The Toronto Sun reports that only the Phillies and Yankees have scouts watching Halladay tonight.

6:47pm: Speaking on Sirius XM, commissioner Bud Selig said "I was told by somebody with pretty good inside knowledge that they won’t get rid of him," referring of course to Halladay. He followed that up by saying "Now, whether that’s true or not, I don’t know. And, you know, clubs are going to start bidding it up."

6:39pm: Tom Haudricourt tweets that GM Doug Melvin said "it's not true that the Brewers have withdrawn from the bidding for Halladay."

6:07pm: Andy Martino of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Blue Jays have asked for Kyle Drabek, J.A. Happ and outfielder Dominic Brown.

5:31pm: MLB.com's Jordan Bastian hears from a source that reports of Halladay being traded to Philly within the next 24 hours are inaccurate.

4:50pm: Ed Price of AOL FanHouse hears that the Jays are considering trading Halladay to the Phillies for Kyle Drabek, Michael Taylor, Jason Donald and Lou Marson. However, no deal appears to be close.

4:20pm: The Phillies are "fully determined" to acquire Halladay, while the Dodgers still have a small chance of acquiring him, according to Knobler. As for the Jays, one person involved says "it's obvious that they have to move him now."

4:05pm: The Jays could obtain a stronger supporting group if they were to accept J.A. Happ in place of Kyle Drabek in a possible trade, according to Heyman.

3:59pm: Knobler says the Brewers are "basically out" of the Halladay talks because they don't want to give up Alcides Escobar or Mat Gamel. Boston's representatives also left Toronto today.

3:28pm: Danny Knobler of CBS Sports says the Phillies remain the favorites to acquire Halladay, but the teams don't appear to be close to completing a deal.

2:04pm: MLB.com's Ken Gurnick passes on comments Dodgers GM Ned Colletti made this morning on KABC Radio. Colletti says the Jays want two or three current Dodgers, including a young pitcher, or five or six prospects.

2:00pm: Jon Heyman of SI.com says the Phils are "trying hard" to obtain Halladay. He'd be surprised if they don't acquire him.

11:45am: Ed Price of AOL FanHouse says Cincinnati has interest in Halladay. Presumably, Halladay wouldn't accept a trade to the 44-50 Reds.

10:00am: With a week to go before the trade deadline, here's a recap of what we found out about Roy Halladay yesterday: the Jays could expand a deal to include other players; Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi said Halladay wants to test the free agent market after next season; Halladay has given Ricciardi a list of teams he'd accept trades to; Kyle Drabek is not untouchable; the Angels and Dodgers are still in the mix. And here's what we've heard so far today:

  • Ricciardi told The Globe and Mail that Halladay has not given the Blue Jays a list of teams. Instead, the Jays have run teams by Halladay to determine his interest in joining them.
  • Jon Heyman says the Phillies are frontrunners for Halladay, but the Brewers have a shot at Toronto's ace.
  • Ricciardi told Jim Salisbury of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he's in the midst of serious discussions with four teams, all of which have the talent to acquire Halladay.
  • Ricciardi says he hasn't discussed specifics with the Phillies; Salisbury's sources say the Blue Jays would require Kyle Drabek and J.A. Happ in the deal, along with others.
  • Former Phillies GM Pat Gillick sounds tempted by Halladay, saying he'd give the Phils the chance to go "back-to-back." 
  • Happ knows tonight's start could be his last for the Phillies, according to MLB.com's David Gurian-Peck.
  • Ricciardi told Mike Rutsey of the Toronto Sun that the Blue Jays won't pay any of Halladay's salary if they trade him.

Odds And Ends: Wang, Maine, Scutaro

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Some links to read through as the trading heats up…

Heyman On Halladay, Holliday, Indians, Nats

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9:34am: Heyman says the Yankees inquired about Cliff Lee and were told they'd have to give up Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes, plus other players.

8:34am: Jon Heyman of SI.com has the latest on the biggest stars available:

  • The Phillies are the frontrunners to acquire Roy Halladay. Heyman says the Jays are expected to ask for one of J.A. Happ and Kyle Drabek, one of Dominic Brown and Michael Taylor, plus others.
  • The Brewers may be the Phillies' biggest threat, but they'd probably have to part with Alcides Escobar, and maybe Mat Gamel, too. 
  • The Mets bowed out of the Halladay talks once Fernando Martinez's name came up. 
  • There's a "good chance" the Cardinals trade for Matt Holliday, according to one of Heyman's sources.  
  • Indians GM Mark Shapiro wonders if teams are holding onto their prospects too tightly: "It's almost to the point where there's an over-evaluation of these guys. There's almost an over-correction."
  • Heyman says the Nats should trade Nick Johnson, Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham. 

Roy Halladay Rumors: Thursday

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7:56pm: MLB.com's Todd Zolecki says GM Ruben Amaro has dismissed reports that Kyle Drabek is untouchable, confirming Olney's earlier report. Amaro apparently "did not have a sense either way" that the Phils would make any trades before the deadline, but Zolecki still says the Phils are in "hot pursuit" of Halladay.

4:52pm: The LA Times reports that Dodgers GM Ned Colletti knows which of his players the Jays have interest in. The Dodgers have watched Halladay's last two starts, but do not plan on including Clayton Kershaw in any trades.

4:45pm: Angels owner Arte Moreno told Bill Shaikin of the LA Times that he's interested in acquiring an ace starter and has no "financial constraints." Halladay and Cliff Lee are out there and the Angels say they'll keep all options open.

4:39pm: ESPN.com's Buster Olney hears that Kyle Drabek is not untouchable, though at least one top Phillies executive would prefer to hold the team's top young talent. Olney's sources tell him that serious talks are expected to begin this weekend.

3:35pm: Ricciardi told Jordan Bastian that Halladay has provided him with a list of teams to which he would approve a deal.

Ricciardi also says Halladay wants to test the free agent market after next season.

3:31pm: Ricciardi told The Canadian Press that talks have become "a little bit more heated up." He believes some teams are trying to make preliminary moves to acquire Halladay.

12:28pm: ESPN.com's Buster Olney lists eight reasons why a Halladay trade could work for the Jays and Phillies. Halladay's value is arguably at its highest now and with him, the Phillies could build a legacy of winning.

12:14pm: The consensus the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: the Cards don't have what it takes to acquire Halladay.

11:34am: MLB.com's Jordan Bastian passes on comments Ricciardi made on the FAN 590 in Toronto. Ricciardi says he's exploring deals in part because Halladay wants to test the free agent market after his deal expires next season. Some teams are serious about Halladay; others are delirious, Ricciardi said.

11:02am: J.P. Ricciardi told ESPN Radio he still doesn't expect to trade Roy Halladay. He believes his negotiating partners should be prepared to part with at least as much as the Mariners gave up to acquire Erik Bedard. 

ESPN.com's Jayson Stark says the Phillies remain the one team that matches up perfectly with the Blue Jays. However, the Jays continue to seek big-league-ready pitching and other top prospects in any deal. Stark gets the sense that the Jays want to make a deal and doesn't expect them to lower their asking price as the deadline nears.

10:44am: Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun says the Jays could potentially expand a Halladay trade to include Marco Scutaro, Jason Frasor, Scott Downs or Brian Tallet, depending on their trading partner's needs.

One scout tells Elliott that some surprise teams are calling the Jays about Halladay.

9:20am: Here are the highlights from yesterday's Roy Halladay rumors GM J.P. Ricciardi expects to exchange names with interested teams early next week; the Blue Jays would consider dealing after their self-imposed deadline of July 28th; the Brewers remain a threat to acquire Doc; the Dodgers are still involved; the Rockies won't bring Halladay home to Colorado. But it doesn't stop, so here's the latest on the Jays righty, with more rumors to come:

“Slim” Chance Rays Make Blockbuster Deal

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says the Rays are pursuing the biggest stars available, but remain unlikely to acquire any of them. Payroll limitations could prevent the Rays from adding Victor Martinez, Cliff Lee or Roy Halladay. The Rays would consider parting with Scott Kazmir and Carl Crawford, though the chances they deal their star left fielder are "close to zero."

Rosenthal says ambitious trade talks aren't uncommon leading up to the deadline. One GM believes the Rays are "shooting in the dark" and doubts they will acquire a big name player. However, the Blue Jays are a potential fit for the Rays. They like Tampa's young talent, and Rosenthal hears that Halladay would accept a trade to the team.

Stark On Deadline Deals

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ESPN.com's Jayson Stark says this year's deadline will be different than others, since more players will clear waivers, allowing teams to deal until the end of August. Matt Holliday, Jarrod Washburn and Jack Wilson are all "likely to zip through waivers" next month. Here are the rest of Stark's rumors:

  • The Phillies are as motivated as ever to acquire Roy Halladay. Their goal is to win the World Series, not make the playoffs.
  • The Phils don't want to trade Kyle Drabek or J.A. Happ, but one GM believes they should include Drabek if one of the two has to go.
  • The Phillies may have to decide which outfielder to include in a deal: Michael Taylor or Dominic Brown. One scout says there's "nothing not to like" about Taylor.  
  • Acquiring Cliff Lee would take a "four-for-one, Halladay-esque Package."
  • The Dodgers, Angels, Phillies, Rays and Brewers are scouting Lee. 
  • Both the Blue Jays and Indians want top young arms for their aces, but the Indians aren't demanding big-league ready prospects, as long as they get a high-upside group.
  • Expect Lee to be traded close to the deadline, if he's moved at all, because the Halladay saga will need resolution first.
  • The Orioles have two prices for George Sherrill. Teams willing to take on his salary have to give up a premium prospect and another prospect, but if the O's have to pay Sherrill, they want a premium prospect and two other players.
  • Danys Baez's value has plummeted recently.
  • The Braves, unsure of how much Tim Hudson can contribute, are leaning heavily towards keeping Javier Vazquez.
  • Adding a reliever is now the Dodgers' top priority.    
  • The Phillies have some interest in Ryan Spilborghs, Scott Hairston and Ryan Raburn.
  • The Reds would like to deal some of their expensive pitchers.
  • July 31st is also the deadline for Japanese teams to acquire foreign players for the rest of their season, so if Scott Boras is going to send Stephen Strasburg overseas, this will have to be the week.
  • The Cubs are looking at left-handed relievers, including Sherrill, John Grabow and Joe Beimel. 
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