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Roy Halladay will never don a Blue Jays jersey again. As a fan base, we know that much. What we don't know is who will cowboy up and give up the necessary talent to land this ace. 

Many are speculating that the Halladay sweepstakes will eventually turn into a classic Red Sox versus Yankees bidding war. It's hard to argue. Last offseason, the boys in blue managed to spend $441 million for five players! That figure was over two times what the rest of the American League spent altogether.

The Red Sox spent just $12.5 million. However, they made several midseason trades, including the acquisition of V-Mart, which solidified and also jumbled the offense. They must have known that the pitching needs would come to the forefront this offseason.

So, it would make perfect sense if the Red Sox made an extra special push for Doc. Right? Not quite. To make this deal happen, the Sox would most likely need to give up their pride and joy, Clay Buchholz. In my opinion, this move would be considered pretty clever, considering that it is Roy Halladay, even if only for a year. 

Last season, Halladay racked up 17 wins, 208 Ks, and an absolutely respectable 2.79 ERA. On the other side of the deal, Buchholz didn't exactly light up the league. Clay finished the year with just seven wins, 68 Ks, and an unattractive 4.21 ERA.

Seems to me like this deal would be an absolute steal for the Sox. Also, let's be honest. Boston's starting rotation isn't exactly a sure thing. Sure, Josh Beckett and Jon Lester are great, but beyond them, who else is there? Daisuke can't stay healthy, Wakefield will turn 44 next season, and, as previously stated, the young gun Buchholz is too inconsistent to be a big-leaguer.

After digesting all of this information, the result should be clear. The Red Sox must sign Doc, not only because he will essentially improve the team, but to make a statement to the boys in the Bronx that they will not just lay down and die at the sight of C.C. Sabathia. That's the call Mr. Epstein. Make it happen.

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