White Sox-Roy Halladay Trade Discussion: Danks, Ramirez for Halladay?

Earlier this season, the Chicago White Sox made a strong play to trade for San Diego pitcher Jake Peavy.  A deal was reached in principle before being nixed by the Padres ace.  

Naturally, it was assumed that when the Toronto Blue Jays made Roy Halladay available that the White Sox would get involved.

And as team after team has fallen off of the Blue Jays radar screen, gauging the asking price to be too high even for one of the best pitchers of this decade, the White Sox still apparently linger as a potential trade partner for Toronto…at least in one writer’s mind.

In a recent column, Rick Morrisey of the Tribune wrote that the White Sox should do whatever is necessary to pry Halladay away from the Blue Jays, floating a package of John Danks and Alexei Ramirez as a possibility.

So what’s it going to take to get Halladay, the Blue Jays’ star pitcher?

Let’s put on our GM cap and start with shortstop Alexei Ramirez and pitcher John Danks. I know: a steep price. But worth it. Halladay is the overpowering pitcher the Sox haven’t had since Jack McDowell. Last season, he struck out 206 batters and walked 39. So far this year, it’s 106-17.

Admittedly, I’m torn on whether I would pull the trigger on such a deal.  I was all for the Peavy trade because it was based on prospects, guys who had not yet proven their Major League readiness.  John Danks and Alexei Ramirez have already proven to be above average players at their respective positions, and have also proven to be clutch performers in a pennant race (as evidenced by Alexei’s game-winning grand slam down the stretch last year and John Danks’ incredible start in the one-game playoff to propel the White Sox into the postseason).

Of course, Roy Halladay has been one of the best and most consistent starting pitchers in baseball since 2001.

What do you think?  Would you do this deal? My gut reaction is to say no, but part of that may be an attachment to Alexei and Danks, both of whom I love and see as young building blocks for the future of the White Sox. The argument for a Halladay deal is that it gives the White Sox a better chance to win this season. The way I look at that is which combo would you rather have: Halladay pitching with Beckham at short and Fields at third, or Danks pitching with Alexei at short and Beckham at third?

Josh Fields hasn’t proven he can be consistent with the bat or the glove, so our infield would certainly weaken in the field (though perhaps not by much…we can’t get much worse in the field) and at the plate, barring a great Fields turnaround. But does Halladay’s consistent dominance improve the White Sox that much more every fifth day over Danks?  I will say this about Danks: he is a significantly less effective pitcher in July and August during his short career than he’s been in the other months.  However, he’s been solid in September.

The other issue that would have to be taken into account is contracts.  As Morrisey points out:

The financial cost of acquiring Halladay is not prohibitive: about $7 million for the rest of this year and $15.75 million in 2010.

John Danks is approaching his arbitration eligible years (beginning next season) and the White Sox will have to decide whether or not to sign him to a long-term deal.  Certainly any deal with Danks would have to rival what rotation mate Gavin Floyd received this offseason.  Floyd’s deal bought out his arbitration-eligible seasons for four years, $15.5 million.  I would have to assume that as a 25 year old lefty, Danks would be able to command a higher price than Floyd.  

Still, their combined contract would be far less than what the White Sox would have to pony up to lock Halladay up to a long-term deal after his current deal expires in 2010.  Would you rather have Danks and Floyd locked up for the next half decade or Roy Halladay and Floyd for a year and a half, and then only Floyd?

Alexei Ramirez will also have a contract coming up soon, and I’m sure plenty of teams would love a speedy, power-hitting middle infielder in the prime of his career. But I would assume Alexei’s first choice would be to stay on the South Side, in the very Latino-friendly clubhouse managed by Ozzie Guillen.  And if the White Sox could get Floyd, Danks, and Ramirez locked up, then do what the Rays did with Evan Longoria and what the Brewers did with Ryan Braun and sign Gordon Beckham long-term before he becomes arbitration-eligible, as well as lock up Carlos Quentin, then there will be a solid nucleus of young talent to carry the team through the transition years when Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome, and others eventually have to exit stage left.

The more I write about this potential deal (which really is just Morrisey’s conjecture as far as I can tell) the less I like it.  Sure, I’d love to have Halladay for this year and next, but not if the price is Danks and Ramirez.  If it’s one of those guys and an unproven minor leaguer, fine. Obviously you have to give up a lot to get a guy like Halladay.  But Danks and Ramirez are building blocks for the future of this team, whereas Halladay would likely be a rental for one season plus a couple of months.

I’ll trust Ken Williams to make the ultimate decision if such a deal ever gets on the table, and there would definitely be an exciting buzz if Halladay came to the South Side; but I’m not holding my breath.  Check out the most recent column at MLB Trade Rumors detailing the Roy Halladay trade rumors and you will see nary a mention of the White Sox.  I know that Ken likes to work in the shadows, but I’ll reserve all future analysis and comment of Roy Halladay until something concrete is actually out there.

Until then, I’m quite happy with the team that we have, and still confident that our 2005 vets have one more strong October run in them…with our without Roy Halladay.

* – Roy Halladay photo credit: Getty Images via SportsNet.ca

LOTD: All Star Game Starting Pitchers, Lineups, and TV Schedule

The starting pitchers and lineups for the 2009 MLB All Star Game were announced earlier today.  Before I bring you those, as well as some other great links from around the web today, here are the viewing particulars for tomorrow’s All Star Game:

2009 MLB All Star Game Schedule

• All Star Game Date: Tuesday, July 14th
• All Star Game Start Time: 8:00 ET
• All Star Game TV: FOX
• All Star Game Announcers: You don’t want to know…they’ll suck

And now, the starting pitchers and lineups, courtesy of ESPN.com:

American League Starting Pitcher and Lineup:

1. RF Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners
2. SS Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
3. C Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
4. 1B Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees
5. LF Jason Bay, Boston Red Sox
6. CF Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
7. 3B Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays
8. 2B Aaron Hill, Toronto Blue Jays
9. SP Roy Halladay, Toronto Blue Jays (for now)

National League Starting Pitcher and Lineup:

1. SS Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins
2. 2B Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
3. 1B Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
4. RF Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
5. LF Raul Ibanez, Philadelphia Phillies
6. 3B David Wright, New York Mets
7. CF Shane Victorino, Philadelphia Phillies
8. C Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals
9. SP Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants

And here are a few of my own quick-hit predictions:

• The NL will dominate the Home Run Derby, but the AL will win the All Star game, running its record in the last 15 All Star games to 100-0-1.  I know that the math doesn’t match up exactly, but doesn’t it feel like that?
• Josh Hamilton will jack a home run in his second at-bat (once Lincecum is out) nd end up being named the MVP.  One of the tools I work with is crowing about how I have a “man crush” on Josh Hamilton…to which I reply, what baseball fan does not have a man crush on Josh Hamilton?
• If Nelson Cruz actually makes it into the game, I will throw my remote at the TV in disgust that he is there over the far more deserving Jermaine Dye.
• The announcers will not do anything to make the game more exciting.

And now, some links from around the sports blogosphere from some of my friends who do this blogging thing a hell of a lot better than me:

15 extremely painful looking PARKOUR accidents — (Hail Mary Jane)

Marisa Miller gets naked in GQ for real this time — (The World According to MoonDog)

Some comic relief: Archie and the whores — (GadJunk)

How To: Pick up a woman — (Straight Pinkie)

The Cowboys may actually have a chance this season (Romo-Jessica break up) — (Dallas Sports Fans)

A history of big white stiffs for the Mavericks — (Dallas Sports Fans)

Kobe: You ‘aint dunking on me at my camp — (You Been Blinded)

Do hitters decline after the Home Run Derby? — (Hardball Times)

The average All-Star makes less than the average Yankee — (Bugs and Cranks)

Matt Bush has seen better days (like when he wasn’t crying like a baby while being arrested) — (Josh Q. Public)

It’s on: Cliff Lee v Eric Wedge — (Waiting for Next Year)

Roy Halladay: Mormon Ace, Fantasy Star, and the Most Underrated Man in the World

Last week, JRod posted about Mark Buehrle being the most underrated ace in the Major League Baseball. And while I agree that Mark Buehrle is both an ace and underrated, he is far from the most underrated ace or pitcher in the MLB. That title belongs to someone else, someone whose level of underratedness extends far beyond the pitcher’s mound, the white lines, and the bleachers.

The post is an ode to that man.

Some baseball players strive for media attention. Some baseball players simply replicate their sucky numbers from year to year. Then, there are baseball players who settle for nothing below supremacy.

Cut all the suspenseful build-up crap; I’m talking about Roy Halladay.

Who’s that, a baseball novice may ask? He plays half his season outside the U.S. and pitches for the former basement team of the AL East. So there is no fluorescent light show here. This is what makes him a discreet and respectable guy. In addition to the consistently dominant performances each season, his countless years of production and his lack of obsession with the spotlight make Roy Halladay the Most Underrated Man in the World.

And while Roy Halladay is certainly interesting, as you will find out by reading below, he fell just short of qualifying for the title of the Most Interesting Man in the World. Unfortunately, until Roy Halladay can mail a letter without postage and still have it reach its destination, he will never compare to El Senor mas Interesante del Mundo:

However, let’s see The Most Interesting Man in the World try to post the following outstanding statistics, which our hero Roy Halladay has posted over the last 10 years in the majors:

• ERA: 3.49
• WHIP: 1.20
• K’s: 1344
• W-L: 139-67

The numbers posted by Roy Halladay this year aren’t too shabby either after 68 innings of work:

• ERA: 2.78
• WHIP: 1.04
• Ks: 57
• W-L: 8-1

Yet this spectacle of numbers alone does not elevate a man to greatness. Or to the esteemed status of Most Underrated Man in the World.

What separates Roy Halladay from the rest is his concerning and munificent nature. As a Mormon, his responsibility is to go on mission for two years as a young man. Straight out of high school, his primary priority was not for himself, but to tend to his family. Taking care of the family is not every rich guy’s foremost concern.

But then again, Roy Halladay isn’t every guy.

“According to Brandi, her husband – the Jays’ starting ace who is making $10 million this season – refuses to look at his pay stub. He often simply hands the envelope over to her with his head turned away.

‘It bothers him to make as much money as he does,’ Brandi, 34, said. ‘He feels like he’s out there doing his job. Should he get paid? Of course he should be paid. But there’s a lot of people out there that work hard. He works hard at what he does, but it doesn’t mean that other people out there don’t deserve those kinds of cheques, too. It’s kind of humbling. (His charity work) is his way of paying back.’”

If the modest nature of Roy Halladay is not already clearly outlined, he seems to travel above and beyond conventional “charity.” He is the textbook definition of a humble man.

“The Halladays’ signature Doc’s Box program involves a luxury suite paid for by the pitcher to host sick children. It was a concept the Halladays insisted accompany his first multi-year contract. Roy and Brandi annually purchase and use the suite on the 300 Level of the Rogers Centre to host kids from the Hospital for Sick Children. They are trying to expand the use of the box to allow more people to take advantage of a day at the ballpark.”

That’s right. He’s the man.

How many people out there would willingly and without a second thought surrender a chunk of their $10 million paycheck? Put down your hands, Yankee players.

Go find me an MLB player with more character and credentials than Roy Halladay, and I’ll post something about them. But the truth is that Roy Halladay’s beard alone has experienced more acts of humility and mound greatness than a lesser pitcher’s entire body. Not unlike…

The story of Roy Halladay seems like a fantasy. How can a man so great and a pitcher so consistently dominant continue to elude the spotlight the superstardom? For the average baseball fan, Roy Halladay is little more than a great pitcher who toils in Canadian obscurity. But any fantasy baseball player worth his weight in Dos Equis knows that having Roy Halladay on a fantasy baseball roster is a fantasy in and of itself.

With that said, is there ever a good time to trade Roy Halladay? Let’s analyze his fantasy value and what you should ask for in return should you decide to leverage Halladay in a trade.

Fantasy Analysis: How to Value Roy Halladay in Trade Talks

If Roy Halladay is on your roster, you are holding an invaluable trading token to upgrade your team in any way you choose (replacing a weak position, trading for stats, trading for equal or greater value). Here is an example of a trade which was offered to me a few days ago:

Magglio Ordonez, Houston Street, Roy Halladay

for

Jon Lester, Andrew Bailey, Albert Pujols

As difficult as it is to part with my ace and possibly my favorite player in baseball, I could not pass up the best hitter in the game. And the truth is, unless you are receiving Pujols-like value in return, there is no good reason to relinquish Roy Halladay. The rest of the aforementioned trade is merely two guys for two, with the headline obviously being Pujols for Halladay. And now my offense has become immensely improved thanks to the power increase of Pujols over my other boy, Paul Konerko.

If you’re going to trade Roy Halladay, make sure you receive a top of the line player in return, as an easy argument is to show Halladay’s consistent statistics since…forever. If you want to trade for Roy, as I have tried in one league, managers are resilient to part with their All-Star. I don’t have much helpful advice to finding a good trade-off if you want to snatch him. Good luck with that. But remember that Roy Halladay remains vastly underrated, so if you are strategic and cunning, you could find attaining him a realistic possibility.

Although if this guy is in your fantasy league, something tells me he would hang on to Roy Halladay at all costs.

Roy Halladay is a true man. He is tenaciously aware of those less fortunate around him (including his bullpen) and strives to promote positivity whether it’s a monetary donation or a K on a low and inside slider. He performs quality starts both on a mound and in helping those in need (Yes, even fantasy owners too).

His fantasy and real-life baseball value are expanding faster than Bobby Jenks’ waistline. He once walked a batter, just to see what it felt like. He lives vicariously, through his strikeouts.

He is…the Most Underrated Man in the World.

I don’t often draft pitchers in the early rounds of fantasy baseball drafts. I don’t often start them in extreme hitters’ parks like the new Yankee Stadium.

But when I do, I draft…Roy Halladay.

Start Halladay, my friends.