Phillies close in on deal for pitching ace Halladay
The Phillies appeared close last night to acquiring ace pitcher Roy Halladay in a stunning three-team trade that would cost them their own ace, Cliff Lee, and a potential future star in an attempt to return to the World Series for years to come. But one baseball source told The Inquirer that a deal was not quite complete. With so many components - a potential contract extension for Halladay and a medical review for all players involved - the trade might not be finalized quickly.
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Halladay to Phils, Lackey to Bosox pressures Omar
The heat is on Omar Minaya to respond after a flurry of high-profile moves around baseball yesterday — none of them good for the Mets. Just hours after word broke that top pitching free agent John Lackey had signed with the Red Sox, the NL East rival Phillies were putting the finishing touches on a three-way blockbuster with Toronto and Seattle that would land them former Cy Young winner Roy Halladay. While Philadelphia had to give up fellow former Cy Young winner Cliff Lee to get Halladay, the two bold-faced developments - combined with the continued inaction from the camps of Met free-agent targets Jason Bay and catcher Bengie Molina - made for a PR nightmare for Minaya.
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