http://tinyurl.com/yhkwj9q

Not that the US suburbs have a monopoly on ugly buildings..future architects will look back at 20th century Japan as the “grey concrete box” era…behold…

http://tinyurl.com/ykwo4wb

[3] … William, you and the subsequent readers make good points about Cano. Please note that I’m not suggesting the Yankees should or will trade Cano, only that his name could very well come up as one that is included in a deal. And if I’m Brian Cashman, I’d be foolish not to examine every potential trade chip.

[9] I would deal either Joba, Hughes or Kennedy to get a return of Halladay in a heartbeat. Joba more so than Hughes or Kennedy. His future with the Yankees is better suited, as I’ve said here for two years, as a closer. Hughes is better suited as a starter. … And you’re right about the age difference between Santana and Halladay at the points of their impending trade. However, to say that one is better than the other at this particular stage is really a toss-up. They’re different types of pitchers. Santana is a strikeout, power pitcher while Halladay is a power pitcher but has more of a tendency to pitch to contact.

I don’t quite have all the math down but I don’t think the Yankees are going to grow payroll. 15.75 for Halladay and 21 for Wells is 36.75 million new next year, while only 13 and 13 are coming off the books. I’m sure they can afford it, but it fails both the fairness smell test and the revenue efficiency test (because of the cap penalty).

Finally, if the jays can get a cost and multi-year controlled front of the rotation starter for Halladay (who they will lose in a year anyway), I think they have to take it, with barely a position player thrown in depending on the starter. I’m not saying Halladay isn’t more valuable than that, I’m just saying the Jays don’t actually have enough player control here to sell him at market price.

That said, losing hughes or chamberlain for a $16 million 1 year rental is tough to swallow (though I guess he will be a type A free agent after the year, so at least we get a prospect back).

…I GOT MY WORLD SERIES DVD IN THE MAIL TODAY!!!! WAHOOOOEEEEEEEE!!!!

But he has been on the big stage of baseball since at least his 2006 season and he had a couple of decent seasons before that including a 5th place finish for RoY in 2004. And his 2007 season was one for the ages including some really big moments in the post-season/playoffs. Then he was involved in two huge trades in under a year that were the talk of the baseball community at the time. West Coast does not equal relative obscurity to baseball fans.

And as for his fielding I don’t think that GMs are going to look at one poor play in the OF in the playoffs to judge how effective he might be in the field. They should and they will look at a larger sample size. This past year he was an above average defender in LF coming in 5th in the new Fielding Bible awards for 2009. And his Dewan +/- numbers have generally been positive over his years in the bigs, meaning that he will and has made plays that other LFers might not make.

I don’t hold them to be 100% accurate, but some folks smarter than me have come up with metrics that show he can play the field and help his team out while doing it. And his throwing arm, while not anything special, hasn’t cost his team any runs over his career. At least according to Retrosheet and others.

I also don’t get why you think a team would need to be able to sign Halladay to an extension. From the reports I have read, he seems more than happy to test free agency, so a Sabathia to the Brewers like arrangement is possible. Furthermore, I don’t see why the Yankees would give up two highly touted players AND pick up Wells contract. If any team takes Wells, the Jays will be lucky to get one good prospect.

Finally, Matt Holliday has consistently rated as an above average to very good defensive left fielder. One high profile error doesn’t erase that. If teams are really foolish enough to let one play impact their decision than they probably aren’t well run in the first place.