Is Roy Halladay on the move?

Dan Graziano of the Star Ledger reports that the Toronto Blue Jays are quietly contacting teams (namely the Cardinals and Dodgers) to gauge interest and the possible returns for ace pitcher, Roy Halladay.

Graziano states:

Apparently, the returns other teams are getting for top-talent pitchers such as C.C. Sabathia, Rich Harden and Erik Bedard has inspired the Blue Jays to at least find out what it could get for one of the best pitchers in the American League. It remains unlikely that they’d deal him, but you never know.

The teams mentioned are the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers both teams that are “far, far away from the AL East.”

Obviously acquiring a pitcher of Halladay’s caliber would require a large package of players and prospects and would likely surpass the bounty Milwaukee paid for C.C. Sabathia. Not only is Halladay pitching incredibly well, compiling an 11-7 record with a 2.89 ERA, but he’s also under contract until 2010, making him MUCH more appealing than a rental like Sabathia.

It would not at all be surprising for a package from either team to include their top rated prospects who had previously been labeled “untouchable” (Colby Rasmus for the Cardinals and Clayton Kershaw for the Dodgers).

As a Cardinals or Dodgers fan, what would you want your team to give up to acquire Halladay?

The 29 year old reliever has been closing for the Nationals and should provide some stability to an injury depleted Diamondback ‘pen. The Nationals, on the other hand, get a speedy young player that will be under team control for several years to come at a reasonable price.

To be honest, I’m a bit surprised that Bonifacio was all the Nationals demanded. Rauch had been rumored to be drawing interest from other contending teams including the Tampa Bay (No longer Devil) Rays and the Boston Red Sox. While the young speedster does show some promise, he wasn’t rated in the top 5 prospects in the Diamondback organization and Rauch is signed through 2010 so salary wouldn’t have been a concern.

Wolf, 6-10 with a 4.74 ERA will be a free agent at the end of the year and had a limited no trade clause which limited San Diego’s options when seeking trading partners. Houston, however, is not on that list and needed a starter after ace Roy Oswalt hit the DL earlier this week.

Obviously the Astros are trying to compete this year, however, I don’t really see that happening with the three strongest teams in the NL at least 10 games ahead of them in the division.

Durham, who will be a free agent at the end of the season, has been rumored to be on the move for weeks and with current starter Rickie Weeks batting just .218, the Brewers were desperate for an upgrade. Durham is batting .293 with an on base percentage of .385.

The Brewers have stated that Weeks will remain the starter but I can’t imagine them sticking with someone barely batting over the Mendoza line for long while they’re in the midst of a pennant race.

The two prospects the Giants received are reportedly “left-hander Steve Hammond and outfielder Darren Ford.”

For Oakland, this marks the second trade of a starter in as many weeks as Blanton follows Rich Harden out the door. Blanton is not rated nearly as high as Harden, however, he’s much more reliable, having started 30+ games each of the last three years.

The minor leaguers Oakland receives are said to be Adrian Cardenas (2b), Josh Outman (easily one of the best names ever for a pitcher), and Matthew Spencer (OF). Cardenas and Outman were two of the Phils top 4 rated prospects and should once again provide the kind of depth in the minors that Oakland has become known for.

The talented but often-injured Harden will give the Cubs a potent 1-2 punch of their own with ace Carlos Zambrano that rivals the Brewers new duo of Sabathia and Sheets. And, despite giving up the previously untouchable Gallagher, they receive a pitcher under contract until the end of 2009 rather than the rental that Sabathia was. However, any discussion of Harden’s value must mention is string of injuries. Although dominant when healthy (he’s gone 5-1 with a 2.34 ERA in the AL), Harden has been plagued by injuries, including a month long stint on the DL earlier this year for a strain in his throwing shoulder.

Harden has started 13 games so far this year, matching is total of the previous two injury riddled years… combined. Gaudin will provide the Cubs a bit more depth since he can fill out the bullpen or start if needed.

The A’s of course received talented young players in return. As I mentioned, Gallagher was previously unavailable and has shown quite a bit of promise. Murton was formerly a top prospect in the Cubs system but has struggled over the past two years while being shuttled between the majors and minors.

This move will no doubt calm the fears of Cub fans everywhere after seeing a reigning Cy Young pitcher get traded to a division rival, however the true value of this trade will depend solely on Harden’s ability to stay healthy.

Matt LaPorta
Rob Bryson
Zack Jackson
and a player to be named later (rumored to be Taylor Green)

LaPorta was said to be untouchable when the year began so the Indians certainly didn’t give away their ace. LaPorta, a power hitter, was ranked as the 23rd best prospect overall last year by Baseball America.

The trade would seem to put the Brewers into the favorite roll (supplanting the St. Louis Cardinals) for the NL Wild Card if not for the NL Central title as well. However, the deal is also likely to trigger other trades now that a pitcher of Sabathia’s caliber has been dealt. Look for the Cubs and or the Cardinals to try to respond with moves of their own.

Update:

Sabathia won his Brewer debut despite walking a season high 5 batters. He went 6 innings giving up 2 earned runs.

Lidge has been perfect in save opportunities so far this year, saving all 19 of his 19 chances all while compiling a miniscule 0.77 ERA.

Now of course, this is the same Erik Bedard that cost the Mariners a package of 5 players, including Adam Jones. However, his performance this year 4-4 with a 4.14 ERA hasn’t exactly been the stuff aces are made of. So, any trade would undoubtedly involve the M’s “selling low” so to speak.

Naturally, there will be plenty of clubs interested in acquiring the hurler, even with his mediocre performance this year. That list, according to Stark, includes the St. Louis Cardinals.

One team’s nomination of a club to watch on the Bedard front: St. Louis — a place where the fans embrace everybody, where they’re tired of piecing together a patchwork pitching staff, and where their farm system has improved enough to assemble a decent package.

Being a Cardinal fan, I’m painfully aware of the patchwork nature of our rotation. However, with nearly an entire staff on the DL (a list that includes Chris Carpenter, Mark Mulder, Matt Clement, and Adam Wainwright) I’m not sure how willing the Cardinals would be to deal for another pitcher. With Clement and Mulder rumored to be close to coming back, I would expect the club to take a wait and see approach to their rotation.

If, however, the walking wounded don’t pan out, or hit even more setbacks in their rehab, a deal for a healthy and at least somewhat effective innings eater doesn’t seem out of the question. Cardinal fans, you may now commence dreaming of a rotation anchored at the front end by a healthy Carpenter, Wainwright, and Bedard.

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ESPN.com is reporting that the Mets will give up cash or the proverbial player to be named later.