MLB Trade Rumors: New York Yankees Have Best For Halladay

From Joel Sherman at the NY Post:
"Yankees officials have spoken to their Toronto counterparts enough to know they have prospects capable of landing Roy Halladay and that the Blue Jays will not trade their ace without giving them a chance to make the best offer."

The implication is clear - the New York Yankees have more of what the Toronto Blue Jays want than any other team in the Halladay sweepstakes. C/LF/DH/1B or whatever position Jesus Montero eventually plays in late 2010/early 2011 leads the potential package.

MLB Trade Rumors: Roy Halladay

John Perrotto at Baseball Prospectus:

"It appears that the market for Blue Jays right-hander Roy Halladay has been narrowed to the Red Sox and the Yankees, as they have both the prospects to make a trade and the financial wherewithal to sign him to a desired long-term contract extension, though the Angels and Phillies still remain dark horses"

We'll see. I think the New York Yankees have the premier prospect to offer in C Jesus Montero, who hit 317/370/539 as a 19-year-old in AA. The Boston Red Sox do not have enough compromised baseball pundits to make anyone believe SP Casey kelly is in the same room as Montero.

MLB Trade Rumors: Roy Halladay To Boston Red Sox

Buster Olney: "In order for the Red Sox to trade for Halladay, they would almost certainly have to surrender Clay Buchholz and minor leaguer Casey Kelly... And Kelly...appears to have an excellent chance to have a high impact in the majors...."

I love dreaming about the upside of prospects as much as anyone, but worrying about a prospect who just finished A as a dual SS/SP seems like a jumping-the-shark moment on the value of prospects. If a 25-year-old Clay Buchholz and Casey Kelly is too much for one of the top pitchers in the game, then the Red Sox are not as smart as they are lauded to be.

Of course, the Sox probably know how irrational the prospect market is given they helped set it.

MLB Trade Rumors: Roy Halladay

John Perrotto at Baseball Prospectus mongers this:

"New Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos wants to bring a quick end to the Roy Halladay situation, and is most likely to trade him before the winter meetings end on December 10 at Indianapolis. If the Jays can live without shortstop Erick Aybar being included, they have a good chance of striking a deal with the Angels. …"

I am not sure what the Los Angeles Angels have in their minor league system that entices the Blue Jays. As a matter of fact, I'm not sure what they have on their major league roster that entices the Jays either.

Perrotto mentions SS Erick Aybar, but I can't believe the Jays would settle for a package led by him for one of the best pitchers in the game. This looks like it is going to be Johan Santana all over again.