Keep Roy Halladay in Toronto

Don’t do it J.P. Don’t trade your workhorse. The Toronto Blue Jays need their ace. Roy Halladay HAS to remain with the Jays. His number needs to be hanging from the rafters 10 years from now after he has finished tossing the ball from the mount.

Even if somehow you can package the rest of Vernon Wells‘ overpriced contract as part of the deal, it’s not worth it.

Even if you get back three top-grade prospects in return, it’s not worth it.

Even if you can’t get Doc signed to a contract extension past 2010, it’s not worth it.

Don't let this man leave Canada.

The Jays should have a decent shot at contending next year. Outfielder Travis Snider should be that much closer to a regular role in the majors, as long as he continues on the same path as Adam Lind.

You can find yourself a shortstop to replace the admittedly impressive Marco Scutaro, who can’t be expected to keep up his current pace for another season, anyways.

Catcher J.P. Arencibia will be that much closer to the bigs; he’s hitting only .236 with Triple-A Las Vegas, but he’s mashed eight homers and 41 RBIs, and the hits have started to come more frequently.

Most importantly, Halladay is the perfect anchor for the young pitching staff. No one works harder than he does. No one eats more innings than him. No one is a better role model.

Starters Shaun Marcum (elbow) and Dustin McGowan (shoulder) should be ready to return in 2010, if not sooner (Marcum could be back as early as August). They give you solid options as No. 2 and No. 3 starters.

Ricky Romero has turned the tables for those that have taunted him since his sixth overall selection in 2005 (He can finally quiet those Tulo-Witzki chants that have followed him). Anytime you’re drawing comparisons to New York Mets ace Johan Santana, it can’t be a bad thing (unless the year is 2025). He is a more than serviceable No. 4 option; he could even take the reins from Marcum or McGowan, depending on how Cito Gaston and his staff structure out the rotation.

You have one of the top pitching coaches in the league (Brad Arnsberg) and one of the top managers (Gaston). Give the latter more time to work with the young hitters. The offense has been there recently; the pitching will come.

Don’t make the same rash mistakes you made with former designated hitter Frank Thomas and reliever B.J. Ryan. Use the voice of reason; it hasn’t been your favorite (favourite?) friend that often in Toronto, but it must be now.

Finally, it’s just not good juju. You don’t trade away your best player when you could have a shot to contend next season (yes, even in the toughest division in baseball).

Just take a look at what happened to the Minnesota Twins when they ditched Santana, arguably the only pitcher better than Halladay over the last two years. The prospects they received: Carlos Gomez, Philip Humber, Kevin Mulvey, Deolis Guerra. Have any of them pushed the Twinkies over the top in the AL Central? Gomez is hitting just .218 this year, Humber has a 12.46 ERA as a relief pitcher, Mulvey has yet to hit the majors and Guerra has advanced as far as Class AA.

Circumstances might be different, but stocking up on young prospects isn’t the answer when you have a player the caliber of Doc. It can be when you are offloading a player such as the Oakland Athletics‘ Matt Holliday. But with Halladay, it’s a no-go.

Why not wait and take the top draft picks you’ll receive as compensation when Halladay leaves as a free agent? If he even does.

And if he does go, at least it could signal the end of your time in Toronto. I guess there is a silver lining to every cloud.