Justin Barracosa

Paul Godfrey says Roy Halladay is the Toronto Blue Jays’ Derek Jeter. In other words, he won’t let him go without a fight.

“He’s the Derek Jeter of our organization because he epitomizes everything you want in a player on and off the field,” the Blue Jays president and chief executive officer said yesterday before the All-Star Game, referring to Jeter, the New York Yankees’ captain and shortstop.

“He’s a role model. To be quite honest, the things he said [Monday] were just Roy expressing the opinions and concerns he, I and a lot of people have with respect to the way the club has functioned in the last few years.

“It’s not for lack of money. It’s not for lack of trying. But you don’t want Roy Halladay to ever think there’s no hope of winning in Toronto.”

Halladay, who pitched the fourth inning of the All-Star Game, on Monday expressed a growing sense of frustration with the organization’s inability to get over the hump and win the American League East Division. Coupled with that was a concern about the possible direction of the team, which could be poised for a major front-office overhaul.

Halladay has seldom been as open about his feelings as he was at Monday’s media session. But Godfrey did not appear to be completely surprised, because he revealed that he had spoken to Halladay’s wife, Brandi, over the weekend “about where the club is going.”

Brandi Halladay is heavily involved in the Blue Jays wives’ foundation.

Her husband seemed surprised when he was told his statements had some Blue Jays fans perched on a ledge.

“The question that was asked was, ‘Is winning a priority to you?’ And obviously my answer to that is yes,” Halladay said. “I’ve always said right from the beginning I’d rather win in Toronto than anywhere else. Honestly, it’s something that I’ve never contemplated.

“I have two years left on my contract, and at that point we’ll decide what happens from there.

“They [the fans] shouldn’t be worried I’m leaving,” he said.

“There’s no chance if I have anything to say about it that I’m going anywhere. I can understand maybe disappointment with the way we’re going. But as long as it’s up to me, I’m staying.”

The Blue Jays can be expected to try and hammer out an extension with Halladay during the winter - a contract that because of its size and scope would likely require the general manager and club president to be involved intimately in discussions.

Halladay is open to an extension, but he does not want to negotiate during the season in 2009.

“Absolutely,” Halladay said. “It’s hard to talk about things that haven’t happened.

“If that were to happen, would I be interested? Yes. Would I be open to talking about it? Yes. It’s something to this point we haven’t gotten to.”

So what are your thoughts STBuzzers? Do you think he of anyone can be okay losing heir whole career?

With files from Globe and mail.

Justin Barracosa

Former mixed martial arts light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson was arrested Tuesday after a series of collisions allegedly involving the pickup truck he was driving.

Jackson was booked into Orange County Jail for investigation of felony evading, hit and run and reckless driving, according to Lt. Paul Dondero of the Costa Mesa Police Department. Bail was set at $25,000.

Police received a report of an accident on the 55 Freeway near 19th Street in Costa Mesa involving a large pickup truck that had struck other vehicles and fled the scene, Dondero said.

A Costa Mesa officer spotted the pickup getting involved in another collision and fleeing toward Newport Beach. The pickup, which had a tire disabled in the collisions, was pulled over in Newport Beach and Jackson was taken into custody without incident, Dondero said.

There were no injuries involved in the various collisions, he said.

Jackson, 30, who lives in Irvine, was upset by Forrest Griffin at UFC 86 earlier this month in Las Vegas.

UFC spokeswoman Jennifer Wenk in Las Vegas said UFC officials were aware of Jackson’s arrest and had no comment.

With files from AP

Justin Barracosa

Roy Halladay hurled a two-hit shutout as Toronto blanked the listless New York Yankees, 5-0, in the opener of a three- game set at Rogers Centre.

New York was only able to muster an Alex Rodriguez single in the fourth inning and a Derek Jeter double in the ninth off the veteran right-hander, who threw his seventh complete game of the season and his second shutout.

Halladay (11-6), who walked just one in the game and struck out eight, has won eight of nine decisions since a May 9 loss at Cleveland dropped him to 3-5 on the year.

It was the fourth career two-hitter by Halladay, who last turned the trick in May of 2005 against Minnesota.

“I felt good,” Halladay said. “It’s always a challenge to pitch against that team. There is a lot of challenges in that lineup and I had a lot of fun.”

Matt Stairs had a two-run home run for the Blue Jays, who have won four straight games. Rod Barajas added a solo shot and Lyle Overbay was 3-for-4 and drove in a run.

Joba Chamberlain (2-3) allowed three runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings en route to the loss for the Yankees, who have dropped two straight after winning the previous four. The flame-thrower did not walk a batter and tied a career- high by fanning nine in the game.

The Blue Jays jumped on top with a pair of runs thanks to some sloppy New York defense in the third. Adam Lind led off the frame with a single up the middle and quickly advanced to second when Jorge Posada was charged with a passed ball, his second of the game. Posada exacerbated his mistake with an embarrassing throwing error on Joe Inglett’s sacrifice attempt. The miscue put runners on the corners and, after David Eckstein fanned, Overbay slapped an RBI single up the middle.

Further damage should have been averted by New York since Melky Cabrera had Inglett dead to rights at third with a strong throw on Overbay’s hit. But, Rodriguez was slow to get the tag down, enabling the Blue Jays right fielder to slide in safely. Stairs then capped the frame with an RBI grounder.

The Jays added a run in the sixth when Barajas turned on a Chamberlain fastball and drove it over the wall in left for a two-out solo homer, his eighth of the year.

The Blue Jays tacked on a pair of insurance runs off Billy Traber in the eighth. Overbay blooped a one-out double in front of Brett Gardner in left before Stairs crushed his ninth homer of the year over the fence in right to make it a 5-0 game.

The Yankees never seriously threatened against Halladay and hit just five balls out of the infield in the game. New York’s best scoring opportunity actually came in the first inning. Halladay plunked Gardner to start the game and the speedy outfielder quickly swiped second. But, Jeter grounded out before Halladay punched out Bobby Abreu and Rodriguez to end the threat.

New York didn’t get another runner in scoring position until Jeter sliced a one-out double to right in the ninth. Halladay settled down to fan Abreu before inducing Rodriguez to end the game by lining out to first.

Game Notes

The only no-hitter in Blue Jays history took place on September 2, 1990 when Dave Steib shut down the Cleveland Indians…The Jays have had 17 one-hitters in their history, including one by Halladay in his second major league start against Detroit in 1998. In that game, the Tigers’ Bobby Higginson hit a two- out home run in the ninth to spoil Halladay’s no-hit bid…The Yankees signed veteran pitcher Eric Milton, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery. Milton was assigned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre and placed on the DL…Blue Jays outfielder Alex Rios missed the game to be with his girlfriend, who is having a baby.

Link TSN