Hat Tip - the Drunks
"We thought that he was not going to be the pitcher that he was able to be for us," said JP Ricciardi when speaking to Jeff Blair on the Fan 590’s Prime Time Sports this evening. "We thought that the player was not going to be able to help us in a role that could help the team win. At this point we thought it was best to let the player get on with his life."
"The player was not happy," he added. "The player really wanted to pitch more. I think that’s the competitor in him. Realistically, we just didn’t think we had a role that he could pitch in for us right now."
Best of luck, Beej. You gave it a go this season, things just didn't work out. When asked whether Ryan's release meant anything in terms of the trade rumours swirling around Doc Halladay:
"We’re trying to make our club the best club we can be," Ricciardi said. "In releasing BJ, obviously we’re trying to put the best players out there. As far as Roy Halladay goes, we have not traded Roy Halladay. We’re going to do what every team in baseball does, and listen to offers. This is the month where everybody talks."
He added: "The only way we move Roy Halladay is if we’re absolutely, totally blown away by an offer and say this makes sense."
Well, that's encouraging. But, harbinger of doom Joel Sherman has more:
"We have kept him from free agency twice and I don't think we have the resources to keep him from free agency a third time, so I have to investigate what is out there," Ricciardi said. "But my gut feeling is no trade gets done because we value him as one of the five best players in the game, and I don't think people will meet the price tag for that kind of talent."
Ugh. Ricciardi did say that the Jays' are budgeted to meet all their current commitments for 2010, so it's not like Doc has to be traded for financial reasons.