by Ken Rosenthal

Comment

One general manager says flatly that the Angels have "zero chance" to obtain Halladay by using only players from their farm system. Meanwhile, a number of the Angels' young major leaguers — second baseman Howie Kendrick, shortstop Erick Aybar and infielder Brandon Wood — no longer have the trade value they once did.

The Angels could offer either of their catchers — Mike Napoli or Jeff Mathis — but the Blue Jays have a top catching prospect, J.P. Arencibia. As for pitching, trading a major leaguer such as right-hander Jered Weaver or lefty Joe Saunders would be counter-productive for a team that soon could lose righty John Lackey as a free agent. And the Angels' top pitching prospect, righty Jordan Walden, is on the disabled list for the second time this season with forearm stiffness.

The Cardinals face a similar challenge in the Halladay sweepstakes. While Halladay no doubt would love to be reunited with former Jays teammate Chris Carpenter — their wives also are close — other teams simply have more to offer.

Third baseman Brett Wallace, a player who might be better suited for the American League, likely would be the centerpiece of any St. Louis proposal. But the Cardinals would have difficulty satisfying the Jays' desire for elite young pitching. They already are set to trade one pitching prospect as the player to be named for Mark DeRosa.

When FOX commentator Joe Buck asked me to name the favorites for Halladay on Tuesday night's All-Star Game broadcast, I mentioned the Phillies and Yankees as the "best guess."

The Phillies actually are not a guess — their farm system is deep, they discussed A.J. Burnett with the Jays last season and club officials already are brainstorming on how to make a Halladay trade happen. One hitch: Class A right-hander Jason Knapp, a potential trade chip, went on the disabled list Wednesday with "shoulder fatigue," according to the Asbury Park Press.

The Yankees seem less likely to pursue Halladay, but I'll believe they're out when the pitcher lands with another team. The Yankees were not publicly "in" on free agents such as Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira until the moment they signed them.

There is also this: Halladay, unlike Johan Santana in the winter of 2007-08, does not sound intent on securing a contract extension to waive his no-trade clause. So, the Yankees would not need to trade top young players and make a $100 million-plus investment, at least not right away.

Halladay will cost less than $5 million for the rest of the season if he is traded after July 31, and the Yankees could worry about his $15.75 million salary for 2010 later.

Yes, the Yankees value Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes, one of whom would need to be included in a Halladay package. But I doubt they would miss either too badly if they went into the post-season with a rotation of Halladay, A.J. Burnett and lefty CC Sabathia — and had the same three together again for at least next season.

Who's on Dodgers' radar?

When the Dodgers sent two scouts to see Halladay's most recent start, he was not the only Blue Jays pitcher attracting their interest.

Jason Frasor keeps guys off the bases and could be moving to Southern California. (Dave Sandford / Getty Images)

The Dodgers also are looking at Jays reliever Jason Frasor, major-league sources say, and Orioles closer George Sherrill is another reliever on their wish list.

General manager Ned Colletti has identified setup relief as a principal area of need, and Frasor and Sherrill are two of the better options available.

Frasor, a right-hander, did not pitch behind Halladay last Thursday, but his opponents' on-base/slugging percentage is the seventh-best among AL relievers.

Sherrill, a lefty, is 20-for-23 in save opportunities with a 2.41 ERA. He has been particularly effective against left-handed hitters, holding them to a .132 batting average in 38 at-bats.

The future of Rios

The White Sox probably cannot get Halladay unless they part with Gordon Beckham, who appeals to the Jays as a shortstop. But another Jays player, right fielder Alex Rios, long has intrigued the Sox, sources say.

The teams have not recently discussed Rios, but the idea could become more attractive to the Sox if left fielder Carlos Quentin fails to make an adequate recovery from plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

Rios, 27, would play center for the Sox under that scenario, with Scott Podsednik remaining in left. True, Rios is guaranteed approximately $60 million from 2010 to '14. But the Jays could assume some of that burden to receive better prospects — and the White Sox are on the verge of gaining financial flexibility.

Designated hitter Jim Thome ($13 million), right fielder Jermaine Dye ($11.5 million) and right-hander Jose Contreras ($10 million) are in the final years of their contracts, and first baseman Paul Konerko ($12 million) has one year remaining.

Alex Rios' huge contract may not scare the White Sox. (Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)

Rios is a gifted defender, and his offensive numbers profile better in center than in right. He has a full no-trade clause through next season, and the Jays are reluctant to sell low on him.

If Rios remains with the Jays, he eventually figures to swap positions with center fielder Vernon Wells. Advanced metrics show that Wells' defense is in sharp decline.

Bay a keeper in Boston?

It makes sense that contract negotiations between the Red Sox and outfielder Jason Bay are "expected this week," as reported by the Boston Globe.

Bay is close to the point of setting a cutoff date for negotiations, knowing that he is only months away from becoming a free agent, according to a major-league source.

Also, his performance is dipping.

Bay, 30, leads the American League with 72 RBIs, but since June 1 he is batting only .224 with an on-base percentage of .333 and slugging .396. Some type of regression was inevitable, his OPS still ranks 12th in the AL and Bay does not seem to be distracted. Still, a resolution one way or the other might be helpful.