Rangers in serious negotiations for Roy Halladay
The Rangers are still pushing hard for Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay as Friday's 3 p.m. CT Trade Deadline approaches.
According to multiple sources, the Rangers continue to have on-going discussions with the Blue Jays and there are indications that money is not going to stand in the way of a trade.
There are indications that the Rangers are willing to take on the remainder of his $14.25 million salary for this season and the $15.75 million for next year if the two sides can agree upon the right package of prospects. The $15.75 million salary for next year is not a big problem because the Rangers list of potential free agents after this season includes pitcher Vicente Padilla, infielder Hank Blalock and outfielder Marlon Byrd.
The bigger obstacle is what the Blue Jays want in return and what the Rangers are willing to give up. Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi has made it clear that the price for Halladay will be steep.
"All the teams we've been talking to, we've looked at them as potential matches," Ricciardi said. "But, once again, we said from the beginning that we'd have to be moved to move the player. At this point, we haven't been moved."
The Rangers have one of the top farm systems in baseball and have a number of prospects that are attractive to other teams. The Rangers are simply reluctant to part with the best of the bunch, even though they would have Halladay at least through 2010.
The Blue Jays have talked about acquiring a young shortstop, but the Rangers aren't interested in moving Elvis Andrus. Toronto also has shown interest in a young catcher and Texas has Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Taylor Teagarden at the Major League level and Manuel Pina at Double-A Frisco. The Jays also like first baseman Justin Smoak.
But Toronto also wants pitching that is close to being Major League ready, which would likely mean Derek Holland and/or Neftali Feliz. Holland is the most attractive of the Rangers young pitchers and the one they would least likely give up.
Texas has serious issues with its rotation. Padilla has been scratched from two scheduled starts because of the swine flu and Kevin Millwood is still questionable for Sunday's started because a strained left gluteus muscle.
