Two Past Trades That May Affect Roy Halladay's Future

Unless you’ve been living in a rock, Roy Halladay rumors have surfaced and it seems a number of teams are involved. Blue Jays general manger JP Ricciardi has been asking for a steep price to get the Toronto ace. I will look back at two trades that may affect what Ricciardi will do with Halladay at the trade deadline.

The Johan Santana trade

In February of 2008, the Mets acquired left handed ace Johan Santana from the Minnesota Twins in a deal built around Carlos Gomez plus Phil Humber, Kevin Mulvey, and Deolis Guerra.

The Twins were offered a deal by the Yankees that included Phil Hughes, and the Red Sox had offered the Twins a deal that included Clay Buchholz. Hughes and Buchholz project as top of line aces, while Gomez still has a lot of potential, he’s a career .250 hitter, with an on base percentage under .300, not exactly what they wanted in the first place but it was the only option.

The Twins could’ve made a deal with Boston or New York earlier, but by the time they were ready to let him go, those offers were gone. My point is as soon as the clock goes past 4, Santana’s stock plummeted, as will Halladay’s, because you get him for two pennant races instead of one. It may be a difference of one A level prospect instead of two.

Minnesota clearly could’ve gotten more had they dealt Santana earlier; JP Ricciardi may be asking for too much which makes Halladay’s value at an all time high, right now. But not for too long, as soon as the clock hits 4:01, his stock goes down. Ricciardi said that he has a gut feeling that Halladay won’t be dealt, but it only takes one team to step up and make an offer.

For a team to step up and make the offer, they must have two things. You must have the prospects to give up, and you must have the payroll to take Halladay’s hefty salary. The Phillies have both, with prospects like Kyle Drabek, and Jason Knapp, they need pitching help and they have the motivation and the payroll not only for two but maybe even signing him long term to an extension.

Another team I would consider is the Brewers although we haven’t heard anything serious due to the fact that they do not want to trade top level prospects like Mat Gamel and Alcides Escobar, Brewers GM Doug Melvin has let it known he will not give up either after giving up Matt LaPorta last season. However, Melvin may bite the bullet and a 1-2 punch of Yovani Gallardo and Halladay is almost unbeatable. But they still do have the $100 million that they offered Sabathia which may mean they could get Halladay and sign him long term. Keep an eye for the Brewers.

The Josh Beckett for Hanley Ramirez trade

This deal was a while back, but this deal proves why a team like the Phillies should go out and pull the trigger on Halladay, even if they have to overpay for him. The Red Sox had to give up Hanley Ramirez, Anibal Sanchez, Harvey Garcia, and Jesus Delgado, plus giving up Guillermo Mota for Mike Lowell.

Hanley Ramirez was considered among the top prospects in the country, but ask yourself this question, would the Red Sox have won that World Series without Josh Beckett, and the 2007 World Series MVP Mike Lowell, the answer is absolutely not. I call this the perfect trade for a reason, at the time the Sox were looking for key players who would put them over the top to win a world championship, and the Marlins were looking to dump salary and rebuild around the piece they were getting.

Which is why a team like the Phillies needs to get Halladay, his window is their window. Looking back on this trade it was a situation where both teams won big. The Red Sox would not have won that World Series without Beckett, and Lowell, and the Marlins now have the best short stop in the game. Ramirez has become one of the best players in baseball, he has been a centerpiece for the Marlins to build around and be a contending team by the time they get to their new ballpark when Hanley will be in his peak years.

A team like the Phillies or the Brewers can’t hesitate because of prospects, even if you have to overpay for him. Halladay takes the pressure off Cole Hamels, and provides a nasty 1-2 punch of Hamels and Halladay. He changes a pennant race, if the Phillies get him, they are the favorite in the Major Leagues, if the Angels get him they are the favorite in the American league, if the Red Sox get him, they are the favorite in the Majors, same with the Yankees.

What I’m saying is these trades I looked at prove my point, especially the Hanley for Beckett trade. If I’m the Phillies, Kyle Drabek may be a nice pitcher, but I’ll take Halladay. Same goes for Clay Buchholz, nice prospect; I’ll still take Halladay, Joba Chamberlain, and Phil Hughes, take both of them. These teams have the chance to win a World Series with Halladay.

If the Phillies do get Halladay, they are the favorite this year and next year, which would give them the chance to win three straight World Series which is almost impossible. You will probably have to overpay to get him, but he’s absolutely worth it.