The Halladay Controversy

Word is out from numerous media sources that Toronto Blue Jays ace pitcher Roy Halladay may be on the move come the July 31st trade deadline.

Ken Rosenthal speculated in his article titled "Jays' Halladay all but gone in Toronto" written on July 7th 2009 that Halladay was all but gone.

His direct quote from Blue Jays general manager J.P Ricciardi was:

"We have to see what's out there,"

"I'm not saying we're going to shop him. But if something makes sense, we at least have to listen. We're (leaning) more toward listening than we've ever been."

The article can be found here:

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/9777314/Jays/'-Halladay-all-but-gone-in-Toronto/

Rosenthal goes on to name CBS Sportsline as his original source of information.

I found the following article written by CBS Sports writer Danny Knobbler written on July 5th 2009:

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/story/11925937/

Knobbler writes that J.P Ricciardi stated:

"We have to be open to anything."

"We have to see what makes us better,"

"Obviously, if people have interest in Roy Halladay, they'd better realize there's a steep price that's going to come with it."

These articles were the beginning of huge rumours flying aroud the world of baseball.

Teams everywhere were hoping to land the future Hall of Fame pitcher who has been tabbed as "The Best Pitcher in Baseball".

Toronto currently sits fourth in the American League East with a 43-42 record, eight games back of division leading Boston, seven games back of wild card leading New York.

The Blue Jays are not out of this thing.

The trade of Roy Halladay would signify our giving up on this season, as well as next.

Keep in mind that Blue Jays management has stated all year that 2009 was a bridge to 2010 where we will contend for a playoff spot.

How would it be possibly to contend for a playoff spot without Halladay? "The Best Pitcher in Baseball". It wouldn't be plausible.

I now refer you to Jordan Bastien, Blue Jays writer for MLB.COM.

His article on the subject is here:

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090707&content_id=5739922&vkey=news_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor/

Bastien states Ricciardi wanted to make it clear that Halladay is not being shopped, he even uses that statement in his opening paragrpah to the article.

"The Blue Jays are not shopping Roy Halladay. That is one thing general manager J.P. Ricciardi wanted to make clear on Tuesday afternoon. What Ricciardi is willing to do is answer his phone and entertain any trade proposals for Toronto's ace.

That being said, it would take a significant package to pry Halladay -- the face of the Blue Jays' franchise -- away from the only organization he's known."

I am a writer who does not follow suit on rumours.

I personally would need to hear J.P Ricciardi, Cito Gaston, or even Roy Halladay himself say that a trade is being discussed before I would ever believe that Halladay would be offered to any other team.

Roy Halladay means far too much to the Blue Jays organization, not just as a pitcher, but as the face of our franchise.

The attendance in Toronto would certainly dwindle, even more than it already has, if Halladay were to leave, and I wouldn't be surprised if the team was sold off yet again, perhaps even to a bidder in a city other than Toronto.

Yes, I know the likelihood of that happening is slim, but selling off the player that everyone in this town loves is the right place to start if someone wanted to accomplish that.

The Toronto Blue Jays franchise has not had a player who we have idolized as much as Roy Halladay since the glory days of fan favorites such as Joe Carter, Roberto Alomar, and the ever loveable Dave Stieb. Why get rid of that kind of player?

In my personal opinion Halladay is not going anywhere unless he walks at the end of the 2010 season, when his contract expires, to play for a contender.

If that was the scenario I wouldn't hold it against Halladay.

Halladay is a warrior, a fighter, and a winner.

Halladay deserves a ring and if Toronto can't give it to him than I think he should go for his dream of winning a World Series with a team who can.

But for the Jays to trade Halladay off for draft choices, I don't agree with that.

All of these rumours have been nothing but speculation created by bored writers who have taken a quote by our general manager out of context and blown it out of proportion.

I wouldn't worry Jays fans.

This writer is confident that Roy Halladay isn't going anywhere this season, and if he does, god help us that the Jays franchise doesn't crumble from that point on.