CHICAGO -- Could Roy Halladay wind up in a Boston Red Sox uniform?
"If we get the right package, we'll make the trade," Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos told reporters when asked if Halladay could be dealt within the division yesterday. "It would be awfully narrow thinking of me to turn down the best offer because of the fact it came from within our division.
"Now, if we had a strictly apples and apples offers for Halladay, one from Boston, one from another team, it would not be Boston. If we made a deal we owe it to our fans to obtain the best deal possible."
The Red Sox made a strong pitch for Halladay in July but it wasn't enough for former GM J.P. Ricciardi to pull the trigger.
Expects more
Anthopoulos expects more from centre fielder Vernon Wells in 2010 and revealed than Wells injured his left wrist during spring training.
In the spring?
"I talked with Vernon and he does not want to use the wrist as an excuse for his season," Anthopoulos said. "He had a cortisone shot in the spring and took anti-inflammatories all season and he hurt his thumb in September."
Anthopoulos said Wells did not have pain until after the season when he stopped taking the anti-inflammatory.
Wells is due for minor wrist surgery next week, according to his agent Brian Peters.
"Vernon has set the bar high for himself, he hit .300, had 20 homers and 78 RBIs in 108 games in 2008," Anthopoulos said.
This season, Wells was a major disappointment as he batted .260 with 15 homers and 66 RBIs in 158 games. Eventually, he was dropped from the clean-up spot.
No deals expected
Anthopoulos does not see the Jays completing a deal before he leaves for home.
"I've only been in this game since 2003, but it's awfully difficult to make a deal," Anthopoulos said. "At the same time I've told other GMs to keep calling.
"We may make 29 phone calls and the 30th phone call might be the one."
BOB.ELLIOTT@SUNMEDIA.CA
