What's Up Doc?

Roy Halladay tossed a complete game to shut down the scuffling Red Sox offense and out-duel Jon Lester to lead his Jays to a 3-1 win yesterday at Skydome. No surprise there. I don't care what anyone says, Halladay is the best pitcher in baseball. Depending on the hour, rumors will have him going, or not going, to any variety of teams by the trade deadline. I am sure of this- no price is too high to acquire the ace. Halladay increases the championship odds of any contender that grabs him by so much, GMs should consider it a necessity to surrender whatever chips they have.

Trade him within the A.L. East?: J.P. Ricciardi is one of those GMs, like Minaya and Sabbean, who have received a lot of praise for no reason at all. Finally his stock is starting to sour. There are various reports as to whether or not he would be willing to trade Halladay within the A.L. East. If he does give him up to the Yankees or Red Sox, it will be one of the dumbest things ever done in the history of sports and Bud Selig should ban him from the game for life. How anyone could support such a trade is beyond me. "Alright, we got a bunch of prospects that might be good one day, now the top team in our division with an unlimited payroll has the best pitcher in baseball and we get to try to beat them!"
The (Devil) Rays are another story however. I wouldn't quip with trading Halladay to Tampa, mainly because they would never be able to re-sign him.

"It's better to destroy than to create what's unnecessary" -Critic to Guido in Fellini's "8 1/2": Theo Epstein's great failure as Red Sox GM has been finding a shortstop. When they could have kept Orlando Cabrera for $27 million, Theo had to go out and get "Rent-a-wreck" for $40 million. Lugo was an even more disastrous signing. I have never seen any major league shortstop play the position worse than Lugo did this year. The best move the Red Sox could possibly had made this year was to finally give up on him, long overdue.
Now it is time to get rid of Brad Penny. The guy has had some "quality" starts, but that is the best he is going to give. Clay Buchholz made it clear that he's ready to start in the Big Leagues. Penny was a worthy risk to take in the off-season, but the Red Sox don't need him now. Eat the cash and cut ties. I am personally so sick of watching this overweight fireballer go out there every fifth day and labor through 100 straight fastballs and show-me curveballs in five innings of work. Even if Buchholz does no better, he will at least add some excitement and interest to that fifth starter spot.

R.I.P. Walter Cronkite, The Most Trusted Man in America