Boston’s Happy Halladay
November 25, 2009, 9:00 am by iYankees · 19 Comments
According to an anonymous source that spoke with Mark Feinsand and Bill Madden of the Daily News, the Boston Red Sox will make a significant push to acquire Toronto’s Roy Halladay over the next two weeks. In fact, according to the article, the BoSox would like to have Halladay in tow prior to the start of the Winter Meetings on December 7.
I’m not necessarily surprised by this as the Sox have always been the principal suitor for Halladay’s services. Theo Epstein was reportedly willing to trade for the 32-year old right-hander during the ‘09 season and will likely jump at the chance to land him before the Yankees, Angels, or Mets can. By acquiring Halladay sooner rather than later—or at least attempting to do so, as the Jays will ultimately dictate the talks—the Sox can also prevent Brian Cashman from methodically influencing Toronto’s already tremendous asking price. Any Boston-based package for Halladay will likely be headlined by Clay Buchholz, which is similar to the Yankees trading Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes.
If Feinsand and Madden are correct, the next two weeks could be very interesting.
Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images
I would hate to see him in a Blue Jays uniform.
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Why? Buchholz and Romero is a decent young 1-2 punch but I really don’t see that team competing with those two at the top of the rotation right now.
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I agree. At the same time, I don’t think it’ll be the worst thing that could have happened (if the Sox get him, Adrian Gonzalez, and sign John Lackey, maybe then I’d be worried).
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So are the Sox really comfortable with Victor Martinez behind that plate for the next few years?
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Hello John Lackey… welcome to the Bronx.
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I really hope you are wrong!
Just what we need! Another panic move done because Boston got someone we don’t need and so we go for the first illogical move we can think of, signing a 31 year old pitcher to another AJ Burnett contract and blocking a rotation spot for a declining pitcher over the next 5 years!
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I dunno, I’m more afraid of possible 10-12 years of Buchholz than I am 3-4 good years of Halladay. He can only do so much (i.e., 33 or so games per season, max) and he slipped in the second half of last year, so he’s human. He’s going to decline sooner or later, and when he does, the Sox will most likely be around for it, and even better, paying through the nose for it. In the short term, it hurts. Long term… we may benefit from it. We’re already better than them in terms of offense and bullpen, and our patchwork rotation stuck it to them last year. If we can upgrade or at least solidify the rotation and improve in left, I don’t think there’s much they can do without spending as much as we did last year.
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Makes sense… however what doesn’t make sense is why the Sox would push for Halladay when they could sign Lackey for virtually the same money & keep their prospects. I agree Buchholtz has some excellent potential.
Who is this “anonymous source” anyway? this sounds like a smokescreen to me to confuse the Yanks. Funny how the Daily News received this tip. I don’t know I guess I’m a skeptic.
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No one wants to pay Lackey 80+ million dollars, a lot of clubs didn’t want t with AJ but being as he has the kind of stuff to throw a no hitter almost every start it’s worth the risk. To pay Lackey all that money coming off back to back seasons of less than 28 starts and to expect him to actually improve upon that for 5 years and receive 16 million a year isn’t smart and it’s less smart when you already have that kind of contract on the team (AJ).
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I have to disagree with your comment on Burnett. Burnett is an erratic, injury-prone player. To invest that type of money in him was absurd, which is why only 2 teams even thought about it and both were starved for pitching (the Braves, Yankees). Lackey has dealt with minor injuries over the past two years, so those don’t seem like reoccurring issues. I do agree that the Yankees should be careful about spending so much money on pitching, though. With Burnett and Sabathia locked into long-term deals, spending on Lackey, Halladay, or anyone, for that matter, could be difficult.
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Burnett is erratic and injury prone but was coming off of 221 IP in 2008 with 18 wins and 231 Ks… Lackey is coming off 176 IP (2008) and 263 IP (2007) with more control but less electric stuff.
AJ has way more electric stuff and as long as he has that he has a chance to win more games than Lackey, John is a good pitcher but neither one is worth 16 million let along having two of them on the pitching staff.
I would rather have AJ between the two because of the fact on any given day he can throw a no-no and dominate a great lineup, Lackey has elbow problems and couldn’t handle the cold of NY in the playoffs.
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If A.J.’s electric stuff gives him more of “a chance to win games than Lackey,” than why has Lackey won more games than Burnett after starting his career 3 years later? Stuff doesn’t always translate to winning or success. I would rather have Lackey over Burnett, to be honest, but I understand what Burnett brings to the table on any given day.
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You can take Lackey I’ll take AJ, I don’t think either of them are more than glorified number 2 starters and neither one is worth 16 million a year and since we already have one lets not go ahead and add the other. If that is what we want to do and we are all about winning now and not the future just sign Lackey and trade for Halladay and guarantee the WS for 2 years.
CC Sabathia
Roy Halladay
John Lackey
AJ Burnett
Andy Pettitte
We can go with the all 30+ gang in the starting rotation… I preferably would like to cut down on the expensive 30+ year old pitchers though.
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You can take Lackey I’ll take AJ, I don’t think either of them are more than glorified number 2 starters and neither one is worth 16 million a year and since we already have one lets not go ahead and add the other.
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^Big green thumbs up.
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To take it one further I would rather re-sign Wang and hope for the best than sign Lackey to a 80+ million.
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Truthfully it would still be a close battle with the rotations if they got Halladay and we sign Sheets.
Halladay
Lester
Beckett
Dice-K
Wakefield
Vs
Sabathia
Burnett
Pettitte
Sheets
Hughes/Joba
They have some advantages but they have a lot of age… Wakefield’s back can’t hold up, Dice K is an unknown, Beckett declined in the second half of last year and Halladay should suffer some drop off in his numbers.
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The Sox would have 3 pitchers over 30 next year, while we would have 4.
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30 is not over 30… CC turns 30 in July so no we wouldn’t have 4 pitchers over 30… for the same reason Beckett would not be considered in that group either because he is only 29 and turns 30 in May. Only AJ (33) and Pettitte (38) would be over 30 next year on the Yankees and only Wakefield (44) and Halladay (33) would be over 30 for the Red Sox. If the Yankees sign Sheets that will give them 3 over 30 but if they trade for Edwin Jackson then it gives them 3 under 27.
Dice K, Wakefield, Beckett and Halladay all have injury concerns and could be shut down at different points in the season not to mention signing Halladay to an extension means they have to make a decision on Beckett because his contract is up at the end of the year as well making two of the top pitching contracts in the game being given out in one year.
In 3 years Halladay will be 36 and have 3 years left on his contract after he gets extended by the Red Sox, at that time the Red Sox will have 3 pitchers all making huge money in their rotation 33 years old or older and all 3 of them have injury concerns making you wonder what shape they will be in at that point. they would be locking themselves into 4 rotation spots for the next 4-6 years in Lester, Beckett, Halladay and Dice K while emptying the minors of their top talent to get Halladay… If they want that let them do it.
Jon Lester- 28
Roy Halladay- 36
Josh Beckett- 33
Dice K- 33
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