Bob Elliott from Toronto Sun has twittered that Aumont is going to the Phillies in this deal, not the Blue Jays and CSNPhilly is reporting that once Halladay signs an extension, Kyle Drabek, outfielder Michael Taylor, and catching prospect Travis D'Arnaud would head to Toronto.
http://tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=302350
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Bob Elliott article:
Tenacious as a pit bull, Ruben Amaro kept trying.
The Philadelphia Phillies general manager wanted Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay at the July 31 trade deadline. He tried, but was unable to work out a deal with then-GM J.P. Ricciardi.
So, instead, he dealt for Cliff Lee and reached the World Series as a rookie GM.
And while the Los Angeles Angels spent most of the winter meetings with the lobby lead to acquire Halladay, Amaro worked out a three-team deal in which he finally acquires Halladay and sends Lee to Seattle.
Halladay and agent Greg Landry were in Philadelphia yesterday to work out a three-year contract extension on his $15.75 million US deal, of which the Jays will pay a portion.
We are in that “window” period, as Phillies management tries to work out a deal while the Jays brain trust has gone to the mattresses with a “news blackout.”
If Landry works out a three-year extension, Halladay will have a physical, waive his no-trade clause and join the Phillies.
Come spring, he’ll leave his Oldsmar, Fla., home, cross Hwy. 19 and turn left for Clearwater, rather than turning right for Dunedin.
Who do the Jays wind up with? Prospects.
In other words, no one just now to replace Halladay’s, or B.J. Ryan’s three-storey picture alongside of the Rogers Centre.
Phillippe Aumont, the Mariners’ former No. 1 pick from Gatineau, Que., has been mentioned in various reports as being Toronto bound. We hear he’s not in the deal.
Aumont thrilled 42,314 Rogers Centre fans at the World Baseball Classic. Coming on to face Team USA in the eighth, he allowed a double to Dustin Pedroia, the 2008 American League MVP and Jimmy Rollins, a former NL MVP, to reach on an infield hit. Aumont threw a wild pitch before eventually walking Chipper Jones.
Bases loaded. None out.
Aumont got David Wright to line out, struck out Kevin Youkilis and fanned Curtis Granderson on a 2-2 curveball.
This season, Aumont did not thrill M’s fans when after the right-hander blew a save he punched a wall with his left hand and broke a bone in his hand, a la Randy Johnson.
So, who do the Jays wind up with?
Possibly the Phillies could move right-hander Kyle Drabek, 21, who was 12-3, with a 3.19 ERA at single-A Clearwater and double-A Reading. The Phillies refused to move Drabek at the July 31 trade deadline.
Also from the Phillies is catching prospect Travis d’Arnaud, 20, who hit .255 with 13 homers and 71 RBIs in 126 games at class-A Lakewood or possibly outfielder Michael Taylor, 23, who hit .327 with 20 homers and 84 RBIs at Reading and triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Outfielder Michael Saunders, 22, of Victoria, B.C. who hit .310 with 13 homers and 32 homers at triple-A Tacoma, and .221 with four RBIs in 46 games with the M’s, could be in the deal from the Seattle end, as well as either speedy outfielder Tyson Gillies, 20 of Langley, B.C. or right-hander Brandon Morrow.
Morrow, 24, was 2-4, with a 4.29 ERA, while Gillies hit .341, with nine homers and 42 RBIs at single-A High Desert, with 44 steals.
It’s wrong to blame Halladay for asking out. Twice he signed back-end loaded extensions with the Jays to stay here after Ricciardi promised him he’d produce a winner by bringing in high-priced free agents in A.J. Burnett and Ryan, while dealing for third baseman Troy Glaus.
The Jays need for prospects in moving Halladay is due to the fact that in eight years under Ricciardi, the best that the farm system produced when it came to everyday players and top-of-the-rotation starters were second baseman Aaron Hill, lefty Ricky Romero and slugger Adam Lind.
A deal for Drabek, Gillies and d’Arnaud would be a good one.
Anything less for Halladay?
Not so good.
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http://www.torontosun.com/sports/baseball/2009/12/14/12155436.html
