ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Any team interested in Roy Halladay will have to wait until after it strikes a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays to discuss a contract extension with the ace right-hander.
A source close to the situation confirmed Tuesday morning that no negotiating window will be granted to Halladay's suitors prior to the completion of any trade, as sometimes happens to help facilitate a swap.
The New York Mets, for instance, received a 72-hour window to work out an extension with Johan Santana before sending a package of four prospects to the Minnesota Twins for the left-hander. Santana ended up signing a six-year, $137.5-million extension with New York.
But a key difference is that Santana was heading into the final season of his contract when that trade was made, while Halladay still has a season and a half remaining on his deal, providing teams with ample opportunity to work out a longer-term commitment.
"If they want to extend him that is enough time to talk to him," said the source.
Both the Blue Jays and Halladay feel the chances of a trade are about "the flip of a coin," as the 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner put it Monday, during a frenzy of questions about his future and what destinations would be acceptable to him.
Halladay has some control over the process because of his no-trade clause and one school of thought was that he would only approve a deal if an extension was agreed upon beforehand. But he dismissed that, and, as first reported by the Boston Globe, that option is off the table anyway.
"That's a little bit down the road for me," Halladay told reporters Monday. "All I can tell you is my priority would be winning.
"I've been fortunate be taken care of financially in Toronto and I think as a younger player that's maybe more of a concern, taking care of your family and getting that out of the way. I've been able to do that and now the emphasis is on winning."
The belief is that Halladay would prefer to finish out this season in any potential new home -- Philadelphia, St. Louis, Boston along with both New York, Los Angeles and Chicago teams are all in the mix to varying degrees -- to see how he adapts before signing an extension.
The 32-year-old is making US$14.25 million this season and is due another $15.75 million in 2010.
The Blue Jays would ideally like to sign him to an extension but aren't expected to have the resources to build a winner around him, meaning he'd probably walk after next season.
They're looking for a package of top-shelf prospects or very young players in exchange for arguably the best pitcher in baseball.
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Any team interested in Roy Halladay will have to wait until after it strikes a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays to discuss a contract extension with the ace right-hander.
A source close to the situation confirmed Tuesday morning that no negotiating window will be granted to Halladay's suitors prior to the completion of any trade, as sometimes happens to help facilitate a swap.
The New York Mets, for instance, received a 72-hour window to work out an extension with Johan Santana before sending a package of four prospects to the Minnesota Twins for the left-hander. Santana ended up signing a six-year, $137.5-million extension with New York.
But a key difference is that Santana was heading into the final season of his contract when that trade was made, while Halladay still has a season and a half remaining on his deal, providing teams with ample opportunity to work out a longer-term commitment.
"If they want to extend him that is enough time to talk to him," said the source.
Both the Blue Jays and Halladay feel the chances of a trade are about "the flip of a coin," as the 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner put it Monday, during a frenzy of questions about his future and what destinations would be acceptable to him.
Halladay has some control over the process because of his no-trade clause and one school of thought was that he would only approve a deal if an extension was agreed upon beforehand. But he dismissed that, and, as first reported by the Boston Globe, that option is off the table anyway.
"That's a little bit down the road for me," Halladay told reporters Monday. "All I can tell you is my priority would be winning.
"I've been fortunate be taken care of financially in Toronto and I think as a younger player that's maybe more of a concern, taking care of your family and getting that out of the way. I've been able to do that and now the emphasis is on winning."
The belief is that Halladay would prefer to finish out this season in any potential new home -- Philadelphia, St. Louis, Boston along with both New York, Los Angeles and Chicago teams are all in the mix to varying degrees -- to see how he adapts before signing an extension.
The 32-year-old is making US$14.25 million this season and is due another $15.75 million in 2010.
The Blue Jays would ideally like to sign him to an extension but aren't expected to have the resources to build a winner around him, meaning he'd probably walk after next season.
They're looking for a package of top-shelf prospects or very young players in exchange for arguably the best pitcher in baseball.
