Sources: Jays, Phils talk Halladay-Lee blockbuster

[NorthCoastBias]

by Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi, FOXSports.com

Roy Halladay is in Philadelphia and may be a Phillie soon, according to major-league sources.

A three-team blockbuster that would send Halladay to the Phillies and Phillies left-hander Cliff Lee to another club is under discussion, sources say.

A straight trade between the Phillies and Jays also is possible. Either way, there are strong indications that the Halladay talks are approaching a critical juncture.

The only reasons for the Blue Jays right-hander to be in Philly would be to negotiate a contract extension, take a physical or both.

The identity of the team that would acquire Lee is not known, but the possibilities would include the Angels, who could be on the verge of losing free-agent right-hander John Lackey to the Red Sox, and the Mariners.

Halladay likely would agree to a contract extension with the Phillies to waive his no-trade clause. The Phillies would acquire prospects for Lee to help satisfy the Blue Jays' demands for Halladay, and also send prospects of their own to the Jays.

Lee, signed for one more year at $9 million, will be a free agent after next season. The Phillies are uncertain of whether they can sign him, but by acquiring Halladay — and locking him up with an extension — they would secure an ace long-term.

The trade is highly complex, sources say, with the Phillies receiving money from the Jays to help pay Halladay's salary next season. Halladay is owed $15.75 million, but that number could be negotiated down as part of a new contract agreement.

One source with knowledge of the Mariners' plans said Jack Zduriencik is looking for two starting pitchers — not just one — and that the team has contemplated dealing for Lee in recent days.

Seattle officials would prefer to have Felix Hernandez as their No. 1 starter, followed by the two new pitchers, then Ryan Rowland-Smith at No. 4 and Ian Snell at No. 5. Brandon Morrow, who has value in the rotation or bullpen, could be the No. 3 starter if he is not traded.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/10523430/Sources:-Jays,-Phils-talk-Halladay-Lee-blockbuster

In my opinion, the Phillies are stupid if they go through on a deal like this. I would take Lee over Halladay, especially when Lee probably has more in the tank than Halladay does. I would hate having Cliff back in the AL where we would have to face him 2 or 3 times a year.

 

[Chris]

Dumb trade, waste of my time reading it. What is Philly thinking? Especially after giving up the HUGE return in prospects to get Lee in the first-

Ope. Wait. Never mind.

 

[Gunther]

Baseball is such a clusterfuck. God, I love it.

 

[TAS]

Good for Doc, glad he is leaving this piece of shit organization.

 

[TAS]

It's official:

3-way trade agreed to with halladay going to phils, cliff lee to mariners. phils trying to lock up roy now.

 

[AZ_]

Mariners shaping up to get screwed in this one. No long term deal for Lee would be a dealbreaker if I were them.


That said, they have King Felix and Cliff Lee in their rotation....holy shit indeed.

 

[Amherstcavsfan]

Don't forget the M's also signed Figgins.

They have the pitching and defense to win a title, IMO.

 

[di0p]

Its official.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/12/14/phillies.halladay.lee/index.html?eref=sihp

The Phillies are in agreement on a three-team trade with the Mariners and Blue Jays to acquire star pitcher Roy Halladay, SI.com has learned. All indications are that Cliff Lee will likely be heading from Philadelphia to Seattle in the trade.

Sources say Halladay will agree to a contract extension to complete the deal. It's expected to be a formality, and though terms are not yet clear, it's expected to be worked out in the next couple days. Halladay wanted to be in Philadelphia, as the Phillies train in Clearwater, Fla., not far from his offseason home.

The Phillies are giving up prospects to Toronto to get Halladay, but it isn't known yet which players are in the deal. Philadelphia, which would also get prospects from Seattle, is trying to keep its payroll at around $140 million.

The deal is not expected to be finalized today due to its complexity.

The Mariners have been looking for an ace, and all signs point to Lee winding up in Seattle. One loser here is the Angels, who were interested in both Lackey and Halladay and missed out on both of them, with Lackey closing in on a deal with the Red Sox.

Philadelphia had tried to acquire Halladay when the Blue Jays first put him on the trading block last July. But the two sides couldn't work out a deal and the Phillies turned to Lee instead, getting him from the Cleveland Indians just days before the July 31 trade deadline. Lee went on to star for the Phillies down the stretch, going 7-4 with a 3.39 ERA, and then 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in the postseason, including victories in Philadelphia's only two wins in the World Series.

Lee would be returning to the American League, where he won the 2008 Cy Young award. Halladay is also a former AL Cy Young winner, taking top honors in 2003 and finishing in the top five each of the past four seasons. Halladay went 17-10 with a 2.79 ERA in 2009, leading the American League with nine complete games and four shutouts.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...lladay.lee/index.html?eref=sihp#ixzz0ZhZg79PP
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Not sure why they are so ready to give up on Cliff but oh well.

 

[AZ_]

They don't have the offense though....not nearly enough.

 

[MoFlo]

Its official.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/12/14/phillies.halladay.lee/index.html?eref=sihp



Not sure why they are so ready to give up on Cliff but oh well.

Word is that Cliff's looking for $23 M/yr..

Interesting to see what the extension w/ Halladay will end up being for.

 

[Three6Pavia]

Phillies just traded away their only 2 wins in the World Series... Why did this need to happen?

 

[bob2the2nd]

Word is that Cliff's looking for $23 M/yr..

Interesting to see what the extension w/ Halladay will end up being for.

roommate huge phils fan. he said he is stoked because now the phils dont have to worry about over paying for lee, I pointed out halladay is probably going to get more. he didnt seem to care... i thought it was a pretty big point. also depending on what the phils are giving up and getting back as far as prospects go, this could be a huge loss for them

 

[PIP]

I don't like it.. At the very least Lee proved he's a big game pitcher... He was a true ace for that staff... That game 1 against the Yankees is all that need be said...

Halladay has proven that he can pitch 9 innings for a scrub-club in meaningless games...

 

[Snowblind]

roommate huge phils fan. he said he is stoked because now the phils dont have to worry about over paying for lee, I pointed out halladay is probably going to get more. he didnt seem to care... i thought it was a pretty big point. also depending on what the phils are giving up and getting back as far as prospects go, this could be a huge loss for them

Should interesting in what prospects they give up. We got what #4,6,8,10 or something like that from their farm system? So are they going to give up prospects to Toronto? Or is Seattle going to give up prospect to Toronto? Or both? Either way, I don't really get this trade for Philly, just seems like they are going to pay Halladay almost the same as Lee.

 

[bob2the2nd]

Should interesting in what prospects they give up. We got what #4,6,8,10 or something like that from their farm system? So are they going to give up prospects to Toronto? Or is Seattle going to give up prospect to Toronto? Or both? Either way, I don't really get this trade for Philly, just seems like they are going to pay Halladay almost the same as Lee.

article says prospects are going from the Ms to the phillies and from the phillies to the blue jays.