Anyone that has a hair up their ass about the way the Yankees go after big names on the free agent and trade market will be happy to know that the Bronx Bombers won’t be pursuing Blue Jays’ ace Roy Halladay.
The New York Post’s Joel Sherman is reporting that the Yanks will not attempt to trade for Halladay because he would essentially cost too much both financially and in prospects. If you remember correctly, Yankee officials said the same thing about trying to acquire Johan Santana last year and they stuck to their guns by not heavily pursuing the former Twin.
Not wanting to give up a ton of prospects I buy. But who are the Yankees fooling by saying Halladay would cost too much? Even after handing CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira truckloads of money last winter, the Yankees wouldn’t bat an eye paying the rest of Halladay’s salary.
That said, I do believe the Bombers will inevitably stay out of this one. Jays’ GM J.P. Ricciardi is going to ask for a hefty package in return for Halladay, seeing as how he’s easily a top 5 pitcher in a weak market for starters. In the end, the Yankees, as with a lot of teams, don’t want to give up three or four top prospects for what could be only a year and a half of Halladay (who becomes a free agent after 2010).
The Phillies, Angels, Dodgers and Cardinals remain the teams most interested in Halladay, although there are bound to be others that will emerge as the trade deadline approaches.
