Toronto Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi says he’s willing to listen to offers for ace Roy Halladay.
“I don’t think anything has changed, I just think, ‘You know what, why not listen? The worst we can say is no,’” Ricciardi told The Canadian Press on Tuesday.
“If someone wants Roy and they’re willing to blow us away, we’d be willing to listen, that’s all I’m saying. That doesn’t mean we’d trade him, that doesn’t mean we’re looking to trade him. All it means is we’d be willing to listen.”
Halladay is 10-2 with a 2.79 ERA in 16 starts. He’ll be paid $14.25 million this year and his contract expires after the 2010 season, when he’s set to earn $15.75 million.
“In the past we weren’t willing to listen and we figured let’s just see what someone’s got out there and what someone is willing to offer,” Ricciardi said.
The Blue Jays began Tuesday at 43-41, seven games back of Boston in the American League East and six out of the wild card — behind six other teams.
Ricciardi was vague when asked if salary would be a factor. The Blue Jays’ payroll is just short of $81 million, 16th out of 30 big league teams.
“I’m not so sure payroll-wise where we’re going to be able to be after 2010. I’m not so sure that the player wants to stay here beyond 2010. I’m not sure of those things,” he said. “So those are all things we have to weigh out. He’s under contract through next year and worst-case scenario, he does not sign back with us and we get two draft picks.”
CARDINALS — St. Louis manager Tony La Russa has quietly dropped his lawsuit against the social networking site Twitter Inc.
A one-paragraph statement filed June 26 with the U.S. District Court in San Francisco said La Russa had dropped all claims — and that San Francisco-based Twitter did not compensate him in exchange. It also said he could not refile the same complaint.
CUBS — Ryan Dempster, a 17-game winner last season for Chicago, was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a broken right toe.
Dempster was scratched from his start against the Atlanta Braves and replaced by Carlos Zambrano.
METS — Shortstop Jose Reyes had a cortisone shot because he still feels pain in his right leg, and center fielder Carlos Beltran will need a rehabilitation assignment once the bone bruise below his right knee subsides.
YANKEES — New York is moving right-hander Alfredo Aceves from the bullpen for a spot start on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins.
ROYALS — Kansas City designated infielder Luis Hernandez for assignment to make room for Ryan Freel.
WHITE SOX — General manager Ken Williams said he may not be able to make a big trade this season because of smaller crowds at U.S. Cellular Field.
LEYRITZ HEARING — A Florida judge has scheduled a hearing later this week on whether former major leaguer Jim Leyritz should be jailed until his upcoming DUI manslaughter trial.
After a brief hearing, Broward County Circuit Judge Marc Gold decided to consider Leyritz’s bond revocation on Thursday.
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