Brad Mills News

There are 16 days until Christmas and baseball's big spenders are methodically doing their Halladay shopping.

Bidding begins for Halladay Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay throws against the New York Yankees during the first inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Toronto September 4, 2009.

The Los Angeles Angels have resumed their pursuit of pitcher Roy Halladay, the Toronto Blue Jays ace who would be an attractive alternative to free-agent right-hander John Lackey, with whom the team continues to negotiate.

Robert Ray was a surprise addition to the Blue Jays' pitching staff in 2009, earning an unexpected promotion to the big leagues in May.

It's either irony or coincidence, or a little bit of both, that the lone big league club not located in the United States saw its biggest system breakthrough in 2009 come from its international players.

The general managers' meetings are over and Roy Halladay is still a Blue Jay. For now.

Readers write there is zero difference between J.P. Ricciardi, who tried to deal Roy Halladay, and Alex Anthopoulos, who may deal his best starter.

TORONTO - The Canadian Press Published on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009 11:43AM EST T he Toronto Blue Jays and new general manager Alex Anthopoulos continued to remake their scouting department by hiring four new people and promoting three others on Thursday.

Alex Anthopoulos headed through the underground to the O'Hare terminal towing his suitcase Wednesday afternoon.

Do you believe that trade rumor that has Blue Jays center fielder Vernon Wells going to the Cubs for Milton Bradley has any legs? If so, do you believe it would be a good move for the Blue Jays, even if they had to eat a significant portion of Wells' salary? -- Jamie C., Barrie, Ontario The more this potential swap is broken down, the less sense it ...

Al Pedrique, one of 10 candidates interviewed for the Astros' managerial position that Manny Acta declined before Brad Mills beat out Dave Clark for the post, has become Mills' bench coach.

Not only is October the best month on the baseball calendar, it's also the busiest.

It was no secret that Cito Gaston was already pondering his future beyond managing the Blue Jays.

About midway through Alex Anthopoulos conference call yesterday I had a vision. Ever watch Family Feud? We saw the Blue Jays general manager playing Richard Dawson as he explained once again how he phoned every player for their own personal reviews of what led up to the "near-mutiny" final weekend of the season in Baltimore.

Third baseman Geoff Blum #27 of the Houston Astros fields a slow roller down the third base line at Minute Maid Park on September 23, 2009 in Houston, Texas.

The Houston Astros announced today that the club has named Brad Arnsberg as pitching coach for the 2010 season.

Former Seattle Mariners catcher Kenji Johjima agreed to join the Hanshin Tigers of Japan's Central League.

Brad Mills is the new manager of the Houston Astros. Mills, 52, has been Terry Francona's bench coach in Boston for the past six seasons.

Toronto Blue Jays The Blue Jays are a rebuilding team that celebrated the breakthrough of sophomore Adam Lind , but they had a bad season all told and it doesn't look like there is much behind the 2009 wave of kids.

Alex Anthopoulos continued his makeover of the Toronto Blue Jays' front office by luring Dana Brown from the Washington Nationals to serve as a special assistant to the general manager.