Phils Face Tough Call in Halladay Talks

There has been no shortage of teams interested in acquiring Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay since the moment he was put on the block, but all along, the one club pegged as the favorite in the sweepstakes has been the Phillies. Over the weekend, FanHouse's Ed Price reported that the Jays had to have both J.A. Happ and Kyle Drabek in any potential deal with Philadelphia, a concession the reigning world champs have so far been unwilling to make.

So with only four days remaining to the trade deadline, we have to wonder if this trade is going to happen. More importantly, should it happen? It's obvious why the Blue Jays want to move Halladay, and even more obvious why the Phillies want him in their rotation, but there are other things Philly should think about besides becoming an instant World Series favorite as it tries to swing a deal for the righty.

The Phillies simply aren't sure they want to give up such a key portion of what could be the franchise's future -- Happ, Drabek and outfield prospect Dominic Brown -- for a pitcher they're only guaranteed to have through 2010.

It's a financially prudent way of looking at things, and quite popular one at the moment, given the uncertainty of the economy. Teams just don't want to spend a lot of money on proven veterans, even ones the caliber of Halladay, if it means giving up on young -- and cheap -- talent.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Phillies, unwilling to include both pitchers, have since tried to construct a package around Carlos Carrasco and shortstop Jason Donald, an offer which doesn't satisfy the Blue Jays.

So should the Phillies relent and give Toronto what they want? Or would they be better off saying thanks, but no thanks?

It's a tough call.

On the one hand, you give up the three players the Jays want and you're right back at the top of the National League. It's not as though Philadelphia needs Halladay to win the NL East at this point, what with the Mets losing about three players a day and the Marlins and Braves playing too inconsistently to pose a real threat.

Instead, bringing in Halladay would be for one specific purpose -- to win another World Series. In a city that was starved for sporting success before the Phils won the World Series last season, winning two in a row would cement them as the cornerstone of the Philadelphia sports scene.

It would keep the turnstiles churning and the dollars rolling in. Plus, let's not forget that Philly would still have Halladay in 2010, so they'd likely be in contention for another title next season.

On the flip side of that, how much better would the Phillies really be if they give up Happ for Halladay? Happ is 7-1 on the season with a 2.97 ERA and a WHIP of 1.18. With numbers like that, how much of a boost could they really get from Halladay if they do trade for him?

Yes, Halladay is a much better pitcher, but his numbers don't blow Happ away. Halladay is 11-3 with a 2.62 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Better numbers, but not other-wordly.

This is no doubt something that Ruben Amaro Jr. has spent some time thinking about the last few weeks. Why give up a young lefty like Happ and two other top prospects when the boost you get from Halladay may not be all that significant?

Sure it would make the Phils the favorite in the minds of the media and the fans, but just because people expect it to happen doesn't mean it will, especially in a sport as unpredictable as baseball.

Then after thinking about that for a while, Amaro's thoughts no doubt wander elsewhere. If the Phillies don't get Halladay, who will?

It's a distinct possibility that the Dodgers could wind up coming away with the biggest prize at this year's trade deadline, though, much like Philly, they're very hesitant to give up a young left-hander, in their case Clayton Kershaw.

Still, if the Phillies say no to Toronto and Los Angeles is the only real bidder left -- I just don't see the Yankees giving up both Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes for Halladay, for example -- J.P. Ricciardi perhaps could lower his asking price a little bit.

If that were to happen, then not getting Halladay would really sting the Phillies. Not only did they pass up their chance to get him, but their biggest roadblock to the World Series would have scooped him up in the wake of their decision.

Now instead of having Halladay pitching, say, Game 7 of the NLCS for them, the Phillies could be facing him. Not exactly a dream scenario, is it?

In the end, that's why the Phillies should pull the trigger on the deal and get it done, even if they have to give up Happ, Drabek and Brown to do so. If I were a general manager, I want to do everything I can to win now. Yes, the future is important, but there will be other draft picks and young stars coming through your organization if baseball operations is doing its job right.

After having to wait 28 years between World Series titles, the Phillies know all too well that you can't take it for granted that you're going to get back to the top of the mountain anytime soon.

When an opportunity like this comes along, you have to go for it.

It may work out. It may not. If the Phillies do get Halladay nobody will be able to say they didn't do everything they could to try to get the job done. There's not much else that you can ask a general manager to do.