TORONTO - They're already picturing the good Roy Halladay would do in places like Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and New York, while Toronto Blue Jays fans are facing up to the painful reality that their ace may soon be on the move.

The baseball world remained abuzz Wednesday with talk about the 2003 Cy Young Award winner, set off with general manager J.P. Ricciardi's simple proclamation that he'll listen to offers for arguably the game's best pitcher.

The ensuing fervour will only build between now and the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, as various teams weigh how steep a price they're willing to pay for Halladay, and Ricciardi ponders what return is enough to justify a franchise-altering deal.

"He's the best pitcher in the American League, probably the best pitcher in the majors," Phillies slugger Matt Stairs, a former Blue Jay from Fredericton, told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "He'd give us another horse. We'd be a lot more dangerous. He'd give us two No. 1 guys with (Cole) Hamels. ...

"It's going to cost an awful lot to get him. I would do it. But that's coming from me because I played with him and I know what he's all about."

Angels centre-fielder Torii Hunter echoed those sentiments to the Los Angeles Times.

"If they're shopping Roy Halladay, everybody and their momma is going to be after him," he told the paper. "He's the guy I'd build a rotation around.

"He's smart. He hits his spots. He goes deep into games. He's a bulldog. When the pressure is on, he's at his best. He's everything you'd want in a starting pitcher."

No one will argue that, making the key question now what exactly will the Blue Jays want in return.

With another payroll crunch looming in 2010 -- they have $72.45 million committed to seven players including Halladay next year after Wednesday's release of B.J. Ryan, with a payroll of about $81 million for the entire team this season -- young, controllable and cheap assets are an obvious priority.

The dream scenario for the Blue Jays would be to strike a deal similar to the one the Cleveland Indians made in June 2002, when they obtained centre-fielder Grady Sizemore, Cy Young Award Cliff Lee and second baseman Brandon Phillips from the Montreal Expos in exchange for ace righty Bartolo Colon.

Current Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava was with the Indians when that deal was made and targeted the three stars, who at the time were prospects he helped land for the Expos during an earlier stint as Montreal's player development director.

But of few of the more recent trades have brought back such a prosperous return for the team dealing away an elite pitcher.

And there are no guarantees with prospects or young players, meaning Ricciardi and his staff will have to tread very carefully before moving Halladay.

Here's a look at some of the other recent deals for top-flight pitchers:

CC Sabathia

The Indians dealt the star lefty to Milwaukee on July 7, 2008 for four players, headlined by top prospect Matt LaPorta. The outfielder made his big-league debut this season but it's still too early to judge this one. Cleveland also got lefty Zach Jackson (a Jays draft pick traded to Milwaukee in 2005's Lyle Overbay deal) and minor-leaguers Rob Bryson and Michael Brantley.

Erik Bedard

Baltimore sent the lefty from Ottawa to Seattle on Feb. 8, 2008 for five players in a deal that's already a slam dunk for the Orioles. They picked up centre-fielder Adam Jones, an all-star this season, closer George Sherrill, an all-star last year, pitcher Kameron Mickolio, elite pitching prospect Chris Tillman plus minor-leaguer Tony Butler.

Johan Santana

Another pitcher in the argument for best in baseball, Santana was traded by the Minnesota Twins to the Mets on Feb. 2, 2008 for centre-fielder Carlos Gomez, pitcher Philip Humber and minor-leaguers Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey. Just 23, Gomez has shown flashes of being a useful player, while the jury is out on the others.

Josh Beckett

The 2003 World Series MVP was sent by the Florida Marlins to Boston along with Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota on Nov. 24, 2005 for shortstop Hanley Ramirez, now one of the best players in baseball, pitcher Anibal Sanchez along with Jesus Delgado and Harvey Garcia. A good deal for the Marlins but a bad comparison for the Blue Jays because of the other chips sent to Boston in the deal.

Dan Haren

The dominant righty has actually been dealt twice already: once from St. Louis as the key prospect in a 2004 trade with Oakland that brought star lefty Mark Mulder to the Cardinals; and again by the Athletics with Connor Robertson to Arizona on Dec. 14, 2007 for pitchers Dana Eveland, Brett Anderson and Greg Smith (later dealt to Colorado in a Matt Holliday deal), and prospects Chris Carter, Aaron Cunningham and Carlos Gonzalez. The A's certainly found value for Mulder in Haren, and he has brought them a good return so far, although no one of his calibre just yet.