"Doc" Halladay a Yankee?

Rumors are spreading that the Yankees are discussing a trade with Toronto that would give the Yanks the 33 year old ace. However, the Yankees would have to give up one of their top prospects from the list of Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, Jesus Montero, or Austin Jackson. The Yankees have been hesitant in the past to part ways with their top prospects but in this case I would make an exception Halladay has been a dominant pitcher for years and he has shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon. He continues to pitch late into games, he throws a lot of innings, gets a lot of strikeouts, and he can help younger pitchers develop their skills.
The Yankees could pass on the deal not only to keep their prospects but also to avoid a Kevin Brown or Carl Pavano type deal. "Doc" has thrown a lot of innings in recent years, mostly because Toronto's bullpen is weak, and he will be 34 before the start of the 2010 season. Pitchers that throw a lot of innings and pitch late into games eventually have a drop off but Halladay hasn't shown any signs of this happening. Plus, he is a workout demon, keeps his body in great shape, and is dedicated to his craft.
Here's what I would do: make the trade. It isn't often that a pitcher of this caliber becomes available so the Yankees need to look long and hard at the deal before they pass or accept. Within the organization I think the consensus is to hold on to Montero and Jackson so the deal would include either Hughes or Chamberlain. Montero is viewed as the catcher of the future and Jackson will compete for an outfield spot during spring training at the age of 22. I would be okay with letting either Hughes or Chamberlain go because I think the both of them have their faults and might not live up to the hype. Chamberlain is showing a streak of inconsistency without the ability to pitch his way out. With the problems AJ has had with the one "bad inning," the Yankees do not need two pitchers like that in the rotation. However, he did show signs of life as a relief pitcher and has been touted as a possible replacement for the immortal Mariano Rivera. Hughes pitched very well as a relief pitcher during the season but struggled in the postseason. Also, relief pitchers come and go and unless Hughes becomes a starter and continues to improve, there is no real reason to hold on to him just because he pitches one good inning at a time. It will be interesting to see what happens by the end of December because I have a gut feeling that a deal, whether to the Yankees or not, will be done involving Halladay by then. Keep checking in as I'll let you know what happens when it happens. Cheers!