Is Roy Halladay the Key to the Phillies' 2010 Success?

Regardless of the outcome of the 2009 World Series, one thing is for sure—both the Phillies and Yanks will be the favorites to return to the World Series in 2010.

Both squads will be returning with essentially the same core of players, and the Phillies get the added bonus of an entire season with Cliff Lee.

The Phillies' main competition in the NL East next season will come from an improving Atlanta Braves team, which is going to do everything in its power to sign either Matt Holliday or Jason Bay and make one last run at a title in Bobby Cox's last year at the helm.

The Dodgers and Rockies will once again duke it out in the West, while the Central is anybody’s guess, with a lot depending on the offseason moves—or lack thereof, in some cases—by the Cardinals, Cubs, and Brewers.

What does this mean for the Phillies? It means the Phillies should consider making a serious run at Roy Halladay in the offseason and be willing to give up either Kyle Drabek or Dominic Brown (but not both) as part of a package to bolster the rotation for another run at a title.

Signing Lee to an immediate extension will certainly be a priority but may be difficult now that he has regained his 2008 Cy Young form during the postseason. The easier route may be to trade for Halladay with a new Toronto GM (Alex Anthopoulos) who is not legally insane and to play the season out.

The Phillies will certainly be able to afford to re-sign one of the two, who will both be free agents following the 2010 season, which gives them the luxury of choosing whomever they decide is the best fit.

The move would give the Phils a chance at immortality—three consecutive World Series appearances and possibly three straight World Championships.

Halladay would not only guarantee a trip back to the postseason in 2010 (assuming continued good health), but he would also provide the needed ammunition to go up against the AL's mega-million monsters from New York, Boston, and Anaheim for a second straight year.

In my mind, Roy Halladay is the man who can help this team achieve that.