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Roy Halladay to trade Blue Jay Blue for Dodger Blue?
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Brian Blanco/AP
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With 10 days to go before the trading deadline, there's lots of scuttle about the biggest prize on the market — Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay. It would be quite the coup if the Dodgers nabbed the best deadline-deal player two years in a row after landing Manny Ramirez in 2008. (SEE UPDATE BELOW)
Bill Shaikin of the LA Times wrote back on July 12 that the "Dodgers can't let Halliday get away." And he made a compelling case.
While plugging Manny into the lineup last year pushed the Dodgers over the hump from borderline playoff team to clear front-runner in the NL West, if the Dodgers really want to get to the World Series for the first time since 1988, they simply need to land Halladay.
Not only is Halladay by far the best pitcher on the market this month, he is arguably the best pitcher in baseball — on pace for a second consecutive 20-win season and the proud owner of a sub-3.00 ERA and microscopic 1.068 WHiP in the DH league. At the age of 32, Halladay is smack in the middle of his prime and (if not traded away from the AL) is the front-runner to win his second Cy Young Award.
Shaikin notes that the Dodgers would have to pay dearly for Halliday — especially since the Phillies also have their eye on him. Who should LA give up? Russell Martin should not be off the table, Shaikin says. He's right that the Dodgers have been running the 26-year-old Martin into the ground, continuing to put him behind the plate more than almost any catcher in the league. And the grind is starting to take a toll on his offensive numbers, which are significantly down this year, especially in the power department. Martin's value might never be higher, and his potential downside for the Dodgers never more worrisome.
Shaikin thinks they might be able to get Halladay for Martin, some top minor leaguers and some draft picks. I don't think even that will do it. I think they'd have to hand over either Clayton Kershaw or Chad Billingsley to seal the deal. Is that worth it? I think so, as long as you send over Kershaw. As good as the young lefty is, Billingsley has proven to be a reliable (if not at times dominant) starter in this league. A 1-2 punch of Halliday and Billingsley would really help the Dodgers go far in the playoffs.
Besides, a Blue Jays scout was on hand for Kershaw's last start, so the Dodgers clearly know what it will take to get Halladay. I think if the Jays ask for Kershaw, you make the deal — and start thinking up cool designs for those World Series tickets. The Dodgers championship window isn't exactly closing — the core of young talented players augers well for the near future — but that window might not be wider than it is this year.
Championships often go to the bold. The Dodgers, by signing Manny last year, proved they are not afraid of making major deals. It's time to make another one.
Follow Jim Lakely, the Dodgers Examiner, on Twitter.
UPDATE, 3:41 P.M. PDT: Word from ESPN is that the Jays are unlikely to trade Halladay, setting a June 28 deadline to get a deal done.
General manager J.P. Ricciardi said Tuesday the deadline is necessary to get all agreements in place for what would be a complicated deal. The GM also wants this matter resolved before Halladay makes a scheduled start July 29 in Seattle.
To this point, the Blue Jays haven't seen any offers to their liking. That led Ricciardi to say a deal for his ace is now unlikely.
I'm very curious about what the Dodgers might have offered, and why that was not to Ricciardi's liking.
UPDATE, 7:05 p.m. PDT: Looks like the Mets are out of the running for Halladay.
The Mets do no expect to make a push for Halladay before the July 31 non-waivers trade deadline, a person familiar with the situation said.
That thinking is based on a combination of factors. The Mets believe they are more than one player away from jumping back into contention this season and also are reluctant to part with the best of the prospects they have in their farm system.
The more teams bail, the better the Dodgers' chances.
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