MLB winter meetings

LaRussa also dismissed the MLB jerseys notion that the 29-year-old left fielder is only a "National League player."
"I'd love to tell you he is, so half the teams would be out of the running," said LaRussa. "But there are no restrictions to his game."

Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon just finished meeting with the media. He didn't address the Halladay talk (Doc is under contract after all), but says his team needs include, no surprise here, their bullpen. The affable Maddon also raved about Granderson being a real good fit with the Bronx Bombers. Tony LaRussa and Brad Mills are heading to podiums now. Going to go hear if St. Louis's skip will answer any questions related to Mr. Halladay.
A day after Terry Francona said he'd "back off" when it came to reaching out to Jason Bay as he goes through perhaps the most important and lucrative contract of his big league career, Tony LaRussa insinuated the same with one of the prized targets of these winter meetings -- Matt Holliday.

"It's a common sense thing," the veteran manager said, with a group of two dozen reporters around him at the Indianapolis Marriott, about 10 minutes ago. "The player will be looking for some input. Matt spent some time with us. He went through a pennant drive, played October baseball and has a real good feel of what we're about. He's talked to all of us and his teammates. It's less necessary (to have dialogue with him now) if he's been a teammate. It's different if he's not been with your club."
Just after 4 p.m.

(If there is a missing part to a three-way deal that may stop a deal, how does he approach it?) Tell me who I need to go out and get. Trying to get what you want and help the other team as well. Ideally not a three-way deal.
(The three team deal) won't change a whole lot.
We are specific in our wants and needs. What NY's are aren't the same as ours.

How does each passing day alter the dynamic?

Anthopoulos: We've talked about how landscape changes and how the value of a trade can alter the longer time passes. May move sooner rather than later. Certain players their value doesn't change. Our job is to be on top of market.
In some capacity you talk to 29 teams. There are a healthy number of teams that have had an interest in a certain player. We have five or six (Blue Jays players) who have repeated interest from other teams.
We've ranked different trade scenarios and asking what makes the most sense. There has been heated debate. You're trying to balance a lot of scenarios.
I've talked to Paul (Beeston) at end of each day. Cito (Gaston) arrived (Tuesday) and we spoke.
How have the conversations been with other teams?
Anthopoulos: With certain teams there is numerous dialogue. Offers have been thrown back and forth, but nothing close, nothing imminent. In theory there is (a trade offer), but not really.
When you get to this point, you're past talking concepts, you're talking players.
We're moving along at the right pace. Some dates are fast approaching that (change dynamic), like the tender.
Have you had a focus on free agents?
Anthopoulos: Tough to give percentage, but always aware of it. Behind the plate more than anything. The values don't line up with us with the market.

We have tried to sign certain free agents. We haven't been able to come to terms with them. No offers as of now because prior offers are off the table.
What percentage of teams are interested in the signature player (Halladay)?
Every team that I've talked with any team with about a trade hasn't said they're no longer interested.
I'm actively working on as many things as I can
Eastern a group of Toronto writers and I had a chance to visit with Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos for about 30 minutes in a downtown hotel room here in Indianapolis. The rookie GM is still battling a cold, not to mention 29 other general managers who are after baseball's top prize in these winter meetings – Roy Halladay. I took some notes on my Blackberry as he spoke and here are the critical points the native Montrealer had to offer in his chat:
On the three-team NY/Detroit/Arizona trade and how it may impact the Jays:
Anthopoulos: Every time you have dialogue things change. Structurally a lot of what we talked about is similar. Just some tweaks.