For all of the Pedro Martinez rumors, Roy Halladay remains the best pitcher available. Here's the latest buzz surrounding the ace ace of a Jays team that's now fallen below .500:
- The Rangers have enough money coming off the books in 2010 to afford Halladay then, so his 2009 salary could be the team's biggest obstacle, according to Jamey Newberg. If the Rangers can afford Halladay this year, Newberg says the Rangers could give up Neftali Feliz or Justin Smoak- not both- along with Taylor Teagarden and others. But Derek Holland and Martin Perez are untouchable for Newberg.
- MLB.com's Todd Zolecki suspects that the Phillies would part with Jason Knapp, Dominic Brown or Kyle Drabek in the right deal if it meant adding Halladay.
- He only spoke in general terms, but Cards GM John Mozeliak told Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch "there is always a chance to do a deal."
- Jim Donaldson of the Providence Journal doesn't think Halladay's worth the price for the Red Sox.