…none of ’em based in Flushing. Slightly overshadowing Boston’s decision to lavish a 5-year deal upon P John Lackey, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro is on the brink of jettisoning ’09 postseason ace Cliff Lee as part of a 3-team deal with Seattle and Toronto that will see ’03 Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay (above) arrive in Philadelphia. The AP’s Rob Maaadi reports the Phillies might be parting with J.A. Happ, Joe Blanton and outfielder Dominic Brown as part of the deal, though he’s not specified who the Mariners are shipping out, or to where.
Mets fans, poised to watch their club struggle against Halladay 4-6 times a year, can bask in the knowledge Omar Minaya is hardly inactive this December, addressing his own starting rotation vacancies with an offer to free agent Kelvim Escobar. The former Angel is said to be recovering from shoulder surgery and is expected to be ready by Opening Day, 2010 (though under the supervision of the Mets’ medical staff, that might mean opening day of next year’s NFL season).