The main issue at hand, at least from a financial perspective, with regards to a Roy Halladay trade is whether or not the 32-year old right-hander would require an extension upon being moved. Such a contingency would be extremely costly for a team, especially after parting with high-end prospects from one’s farm system. After witnessing the way in which the Johan Santana trade unfolded, most believe that Halladay would demand a new and expensive contract, although there have been reports stating that he is eager to test free agency. Based on a article today, however, in the NY Post, it seems as though extending Halladay is also a point of contention within the Yankees front office.
According to Joel Sherman, “one faction of the Yankees front office has advocated trying to trade for Halladay, but not extend his pact. That way they would get Halladay on a very good contract for 2010 ($16 million) and then offer him arbitration after the season to secure two draft picks as a way to recoup some of the prospects given up in the trade.” The merits of this idea are certainly worthy of consideration, as the Yankees would maintain some semblance of financial flexibility after the trade, and could theoretically replenish their organization’s development system by refusing to offer an extension and collecting compensatory draft picks once Halladay rejects an arbitration offer and signs elsewhere via free agency. The practicality of this particular plan is questionable, however, in that history tells us that Halladay would most likely demand a market value extension prior to being traded (especially from the Yankees).
Of course, in the Yankees “front office,” there are those who probably think such an extension is a good idea after giving up a tremendous group of prospects and young players — it’s the other “faction” — though, in my opinion, if I were forced to choose, I might be more inclined to agree with the group Sherman outlines rather than the latter.
What about you? Where do you stand on the extension issue?
Photo by Peter Thompson/National Post
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16 Responses to Front office split on Halladay extension
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TIQ IQ
I think it all comes down to price. If Halladay wants to test the free agent waters, then his price probably comes down significantly. I mean we’re talking like IPK and Romine significant. At that point, I assume the Blue Jays just wait until the All-Star break when teams convince themselves they’re one player away from the playoffs. If they can trade for him and not sign him without losing Joba, Hughes, Montero or AJax, then I’d personally be all for it.
AJax is kinda a point of contention as well but I’d like to think we can finally develop another all-star outfielder as it’s been awhile (really Bernie was the last one).
I think people overvalue those draft picks. After the top 5 or 10 picks, the draft is such a crapshoot and the team that signs Halladay isn’t likely to be picking that high. What’s the % of #1 picks that turn into legitimate starting major leaguers, let alone stars? I don’t think you give up players of Hughes/Joba plus Montero or even AJAX for a rental of Halladay and expect the compensatory picks to make up for it. Plus there’s always the chance that you won’t even get a #1 pick like what happened to Milwuakee when the Yankees signed CC and Tex.
I’m not really for trading for Halladay in general unless the price comes down but if they do, I’d hope they’d get more than 1 year of him.
I agree about the “overvaluing” bit (which is why I said “theoretically” when discussing it). It’s very true that they won’t actually “replenish” the system after losing key cogs.
Trade to get him. Extend him. Win another 2-3 WS in the next few years. Only reason to not do this if the $ would impede getting Mauer. I would be eager to trade Monetero bc he has the prospect of being a catcher and has his highest trade value, and that would eliminate the temptation to try Montero out instead of picking up Mauer (ok maybe this last part would never happen).
You would never get Mauer and Halladay doesn’t guarantee 2-3 World Series!! You are saying that Halladay wins a world series at the age of 33, 34 and 36 if you assume they win the next 2 and skip one because no one can win 4 titles in a row which is what would happen if you are saying he wins 3 in his first 3 years. I don’t see that happening!
Now you have traded away Montero for Halladay end up winning 0 World Series, Mauer signs an extension with the Twins and now you have no Montero to play DH, no Joba to start and Halladay is close 40 years old and CC is close to 37 and you have an old decrepit rotation with no big name pitching prospects to replenish with.
Trading 1-2 top prospects (who are far more valuable than the average pick because they have a proven record as professionals in the minor leagues) for a year of a pitcher, even one as good as Halladay, is idiotic even if you get a bottom of the first round pick as compensation.
At this point I’d feel more comfortable giving up one of their Best 4 Under 25 only if they were able to sign him to an extension.
He will cost to much, in our money and talented players…I say pass!
Ok, so I am not one to see the grass greener on the other side of the fence. We know what we have now but, if we trade away the top players, how long will it take to grow more talented players?
a-jax, z-mac, coke and romine as the main pieces to get doc. give or take a few prospects, but if toronto’s smart, this would end up becoming a great deal for them too! if they wait too long, see what happened to the twins with johan santana!!! they waited too long and got crap where as if they had made a deal when things were on the “hot stove” they could have gottn a player like phil hughes, not carlos “cant run the bases in game 2 of ALDS” gomez. then i’d say a 3-5 year extension worth anywhere from $18-24 million a season. i think this is a very possible scenario and a fair deal for the yanks, the jays and most importantly roy halladay! comments?
Almost certainly not going to happen. Someone out there will offer one prospect of “elite” caliber. Is this is your best offer, you probably lose.
i didnt mean this would be my best offer, i just strongly believe the yanks are/will find a way to get doc without giving up hughes or joba or montero. in my mind, hughes and montero are absolutely OFF LIMITS in a deal for doc. if they HAD TO give up joba for doc, i believe us yankee fans would live with it and then at least no more b.s. on the whole “joba rules” please, let the kid pitch! stop babying people, their arm wont fall off! if your mechanics are good, it doesnt hurt your arm to throw! anyways, a deal that would be my best offer would be joba, a-jax and romine/cervelli (not saying romine wont be better than cervelli!)with a possible arm like an albaladeho or phil coke. comments?
Phil and Montero should be off limits. Too much upside and effort off the field to send those two anywhere let alone an AL East team.
exactly, i mean of coarse there could be exceptions like king felix or someone of his caliber and age and ability but strictly talking about roy halladay, hughes and montero should not even be considered.
If the Jays are going to take a bunch of B and C level prospects they could just go out and do a CC Sabathia to the Brewers deal and just trade him to a team that will give them 1 big prospect and not much else.
Basically you can’t get Halladay without giving up Montero, Hughes or Joba because someone will end up offering 1 “elite” prospect and nothing else and beat out your deals full of B and C level prospects.
Cervelli and Coke have no trade value! Neither of them would be in the deal because neither project as anything special! Cervelli is a career backup catcher and Coke is nothing more than a lefty who mostly pitches to other lefties and doesn’t dominate lefties enough to be a pure lefty reliever.
I also don’t want to give up Jackson or Romine in a deal that also makes me part with Joba or Hughes or Montero, it’s just to much for a 33 year old pitcher.
Extend him Five years Halladay will be great for five years. This is a no lose deal.
Roy Halladay will be 33 in May, this means when his 5 year contract ends he will be 38 years old I really doubt he is really good that long! He is already losing his velocity once it drops a little more he will be nothing more than another Mike Mussina and we didn’t win any World Series with Mussina and he was “guaranteed to bring 2-3 rings to the bronx”.