FanHouse J.p.Ricciardi

J.P. Ricciardi, fired Saturday morning as general manager of the Blue Jays, will be remembered for spending plenty and not winning enough.

Hired in 2001, Ricciardi was charged with trying to compete with the Yankees and Red Sox in the AL East. To do it, he splurged on free-agent signings such as A.J. Burnett and B.J. Ryan and long-term deals for Toronto players Vernon Wells and Alex Rios.

With the season winding down and the Blue Jays headed for their first losing season since 2005, it seems like there's a very good chance that general manager J.P. Ricciardi is going to lose his job when the season ends. His popularity in Toronto is waning and 2009 will mark his eighth season on the job without making the playoffs. The Blue Jays ownership reportedly went over his head in hiring Cito Gaston last year, so the Jays' record this year might be the final straw.

Ricciardi, however, isn't going down looking. When asked about the possibility of being replaced, Ricciardi went on a rant about the difficulties of playing in the American League East before taking a dig at Blue Jays fans for forgetting that the 1992 and 1993 World Series champion Blue Jays both had the highest payroll in baseball.

According to the Toronto Globe and Mail, Roy Halladay has not given the Blue Jays a list of teams to which he would approve a trade.

FanHouse has confirmed that there is no formal list, and that Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi has yet to ask Halladay to actually approve a deal. The two are known to be close, so it's fair to assume they chat about the situation often.

So with a week to go before the trade deadline, the Halladay picture has cleared up only somewhat. Based on FanHouse's conversations with people around the game:

• Halladay's priority, as he stated at the All-Star Game, is to get to the playoffs for the first time in his career. With the Phillies heavily involved in talks, having a deep minor-league system and owning a big lead in the NL East, they have to be considered the favorites.

MLB Power Rankings: Where MLB FanHouse's editors, writers and bloggers team up to break down the who's who and the what's what in the baseball world.

Well, I'll tell you one thing: baseball ain't boring, folks. At least if you're in the middle class anyway; the upper crust is (somewhat) starting to establish itself across MLB's ranks and the bottom portion of the league is certainly holding steady. But in the middle, well, goodness. We have a lot of would-be title contenders. How's your semi-crappy team faring in the all-important MLB FanHouse Power Rankings this week? Find out after the jump.

Because of the many factors involved in a possible trade of Roy Halladay, it's "50-50 they trade him, maybe less," a person familiar with the Blue Jays front office told FanHouse.

Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi has said he will listen to offers for Halladay, his ace right-hander. But because Halladay is signed through 2010, any trade partner must have a deep farm system, the payroll flexibility to afford Halladay and expectations to contend this year and next.

Another source familiar with the issue said he believed the "Phillies are the leaders at this point."

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When Willy Aybar's home run Thursday in Cleveland was upheld by a video review, it marked the sixth time in six days umpires made use of baseball's instant-replay rule.

So the natural question to ask Jimmie Lee Solomon, Major League Baseball's executive vice president of baseball operations, is why the flurry of trips to the secret chamber to watch replays? Are the umps more willing to consult the tape than in the past?

"These things come in bunches," Solomon told FanHouse.

One of the big stories surrounding the Toronto Blue Jays as they prepare to get their 2009 season underway is whether or not Roy Halladay will still be wearing a Jays jersey when the season ends. Halladay is signed with Toronto through the end of the 2010 season, and is scheduled to make $14.25 million this season and $15.75 million in 2010.

So when you combine the economic situation baseball teams currently find themselves in with the fact that the Blue Jays have to be considered longshots to win an AL East that features the Rays, Red Sox, and Yankees, you kind of have to wonder if Halladay will be traded. Well, general manager J.P. Ricciardi is already sick and tired of being asked about it.

After missing 54 games last year due to a variety of ailments (including a strained left hamstring) Vernon Wells hired a personal strength and conditioning coach to work with him year-round -- training him in the winter, accompanying him to Spring Training, living near him in Toronto and traveling with him during some road trips this season -- all in hopes of finally staying healthy.

Here's to hoping he saved the receipt: Wells re-strained his left hamstring during Monday's workout with the Blue Jays, and while the results of an MRI are still unknown, GM J.P. Ricciardi told MLB.com, "Right now, preliminarily, I'd say he's going to miss four weeks."

From the gargantuan contract to CC Sabathia to the overly extended waiting game for Manny Ramirez to the numerous still unemployed players, this has been quite the wacky baseball offseason. If nothing else, though, it's been incredibly interesting. Due to the unstable economic climate, one can expect the trade deadline to be almost as exciting. If a team like the Toronto Blue Jays falls out of the race early -- which isn't out of the question -- expect them to start dealing high-priced talent in an effort to save money.

If that happens, big market teams who'd like pitching help -- such as the Cubs or Mets -- will be salivating at the thought of acquiring Roy Halladay.

It's hard enough trying to find an agreeable contract if you're a former All-Star like Manny Ramirez, Adam Dunn and Bobby Abreu, but if you're an aging journeyman coming off the worst season of your career? You have to take what you can get.

The Blue Jays must be hoping Kevin Millar subscribes to that "beggars can't be choosers" philosophy, as GM J.P. Ricciardi has confirmed that he's extended a minor league contract and an invitation to spring training to the 37-year-old slugger.