1: Taking on Wells contract would make it impossible to resign Halladay
2: Phillies would not want to sacrifice an offensive starter
3: Jays would prefer a player under team control for as long as possible
4: Nobody wants Vernon Wells. He’s a nice guy, but his contract is cancer. Makes the Oliver Perez deal look like a stroke of genius. If the Jays traded him, they’d have to write off like 70 million of that contract, and no team wants to write of 70 million. I’m sure they’d rather hold him and hope he learns to hit.

Also, for those of you up there who think it would be a waste to pick up a 2nd Ace. .. $15 million next year is only $3 more than Brett Myers makes this year and is a relative steal price for an ace. Santana, Zambrano, Zito, Burnett, Hudson, Sabathia and Jason Schmidt all make more than Halladay.
– I’ve read some flat-out stupid stuff on here about “just” needing a pitcher who would give us 6-7 innings and gives up 4 runs. Hell yeah we do! Every team does. You made a point that is about as well-known as a celebrity porno. Good job. Good middle of the rotation arms are solid, but there is no question what having a good 1-2 punch at the top of your rotation can do for your team. History is all the evidence I need. Sometimes 3 and 4 runs isn’t enough. Ask Cole Hamels last year, ask Cole Hamels this year. We got hot at the right time last year, and our bullpen was better. Hamels would benefit without question from having Halladay next to him, and that move would elevate us to the level of the Red Sox.

Even if we don’t get Halladay, I still like our chances, but, I’m still a part of the Phillies Nation who would love to see Doc in the NL East pitching in the CBP.

1) NL East is basically a lock, if the Braves, Marlins etc. (god forbid the Mets) overtake us, the team has horrific problems that Halladay would not have corrected

2) Playoffs and World Series cannot be calculated with any reasonable degree — we either win or we dont, and the addition of Halladay is pretty much just noise against that same thing. Say the offense goes kaputt, so we could really use an ace right? Well, it is equally likely that our new ace Halladay goes kaputt and gives up 7 runs in 5 innings in the Division Series. etc. etc.

3) Ace pitchers are a waste of resources for Phillies because of their awesome offense — the Phillies need starting pitchers that can get 6-7 innings and give up 3-4 runs. The Phillies will win most of those games. That is the style of baseball they play. If you get a pitcher that goes 8 innings and gives up 1 run, it is just a waste because he will cost a lot and the team would win anyway. Ie, what is the difference between a 6-1 win and a 6-5 win?

Keep Drabek and Happ.

Taking on Wells sould be big and take Drabek and Happ off the table.