Happy Ho Ho, Bauxite Nation!!  Today, it's a look back at arguably the greatest pitcher in Jays history and a few tales in this picture purrfect episode of the POTD!

A tip of the 2003 "T-Bird" cap to Bauxite brent for bringing to our attention that John Sickels has released his Top 20 prospects list for your Toronto Blue Jays.  For contrast and comparison, check out Baseball America's Top 10 list for 2010, the Hardball Times Top 10 and Batter's Box Top 30 here, here and here.

Hey, I got nothing. I'm examining how complicated the schedules of the past made a manager's life.

Seriously.

He's on his way to Seattle and he gets the spotlight in the latest episode of the December Double POTD!

For now is certainly the winter of my discontent.

Anyway - Roy Halladay finishes his Blue Jay career (not that I've actually reconciled myself to this!) a solid second (sometimes third) in pretty well every significant career pitching category. And that, assuming I eventually get over what's happened this month and am able to look at all of this with a clear eye and a cold heart, is probably just about right where he stands in the overall picture.

According to Ken Rosenthal on Twitter, the Jays have reached a tentative deal with the Mariners to acquire Brandon Morrow for Brandon League and a prospect. There has been speculation about who the prospect may be, if the rumours are accurate, but these do not appear to be based on anything substantial. League was a serviceable reliever with nasty sinking stuff, but Morrow gives the Jays a potential starter with middle-of-the-rotation upside. It will be interesting to see who the prospect is, because I don’t see how dealing Morrow helps the Mariners win 2010. Thanks to HippyGilmore and Mike Forbes for breaking the news.

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word

This song got a fair bit of airplay at the Rogers Centre from April to late July.  The player who used this song before stepping into the batter's box  is the subject of our December Double POTD +1.

 

What have we missed in the past few days? Well ...

• Sorry, Rangers fans ... Mike Lowell isn't going anywhere (except maybe the hospital) ...
• Nick Johnson has returned the Bronx, likely to DH and to hit second ...
• Nothing official yet, but Coco Crisp appears headed to Oakland. Can we start the "Coco/Beane" pun contest yet?
• Ex-Jay Scott Rolen restructured his deal with the Reds and will earn $6 million in 2010, plus a $5 million signing bonus ... The club, in return, extended Rolen's contract  through 2012. He will earn $6.5 million in each of those two seasons.
• Mike Gonzalez got a two-year extenstion from the Orioles ... The Phillies exercised the 2011 club option on SS Jimmy Rollins ... Javier Lopez signed with the Pirates, LaTroy Hawkins with the Brewers, Juan Pierre with the White Sox and Hideki Matsui with the Angels ...

What else did we miss? And what do you think of these or any other possible moves around the sport?

Alex Anthopoulos participated in a web chat with fans yesterday though the official Blue Jay site.  He answered about forty questions with several interesting answers.

This recently traded pitcher gets the December Double POTD!

Well, the Seattle Mariners hope the old board-game-maker's slogan holds true on the ballfield, too. The M's acquired embattled CF Milton Bradley from the Cubs today in exchange for nearly-as-embattled SP Carlos Silva plus $9 million.

Thoughts?

J. P. Ricciardi was the Blue Jays general manager from 2002 to 2009. In that time...

So, what else has been going on in baseball land while the most interesting trade in the last ten years for the Blue Jays was being finalized? Well, there is one piece of news that I haven’t seen raised anywhere that affects the Jays. John Lackey signed a 5 year, $82.5 million deal with Boston. While that's been reported, what I haven't seen mentioned, unless I’m mistaken, is that this signing echoes AJ Burnett’s in more than just the dollar value. Because Boston signed Lackey it means the compensation pick the Jays receive for Scutaro will now be Boston’s second rounder and not their first. Just like last year, Toronto’s “A” free agent will only net them a second round pick and a supplementary pick, as opposed to a first-rounder.

Yes, it really happened. ESPN has the story here: Phillies obtain Halladay, send Lee to Seattle.

Now is not the time to re-hash or analyze -- there are multiple threads already in place for that.

No, this is the time to speak from the heart, as a fan ... what is your favorite Roy "Doc" Halladay memory from his 12 years, six All-Star appearances, 148 wins and five top-five Cy Young voting finishes in Toronto? Forget about Roy the Phil (that's even a little hard to imagine right now, isn't it?) ... what are your memories of Roy the Jay?

.......out standing in his own field.  We'll give our very own Mick Doherty a couple of seconds to process that one or it will go over his head for extra bases.  :D  Anyways, the winner of the 2009 Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter award is in the spotlight of yet another December Double POTD.