Phillies Notebook: Source: Blue Jays turned down Phillies' offer for Halladay

The past few days concerning the Phillies and their quest to land Toronto pitcher Roy Halladay have been a lot like summer weather in the Delaware Valley – a lot of thunder and lightning. But no rain. Yet.

A major league source essentially confirmed yesterday that the Blue Jays have turned down the Phillies' offer of J.A. Happ, Carlos Carrasco, Michael Taylor and Jason Donald for Halladay. The source also confirmed the Phillies earlier had rejected a Jays request for Happ, Kyle Drabek and Dominic Brown.

However, the source added that the "exact layout and scenario" of the players involved as reported is not correct, as the teams have traded potential names.

A scout for the Blue Jays, Steve Springer, was in Clearwater, Fla., yesterday presumably to watch Brown. The game was called due to rain after 1 1/3 innings, although Brown did get an infield hit and scored a run.

Round-and-round they go. When or if they'll eventually come to a deal is anyone's guess.

Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi told FOXSports.com that the chances of a deal are "very slim."

"We've said that we would listen, but that we would have to be motivated and wowed," Ricciardi said. "Right now we haven't been. I've said all along my gut tells me I won't be. I still stand by that."

If the Phils don't land Halladay, one of their supposed backup plans seems to have fallen through as the Seattle Mariners placed lefthander Erik Bedard on the disabled list with inflammation in his pitching shoulder. Bedard is 5-3 with a 2.82 earned run average, but has been plagued by injuries recently. He had surgery on his pitching shoulder in September and didn't pitch after July 4 last season. He had missed a month earlier this season with shoulder inflammation.

Another option for the Phils could be Cleveland Indians lefty Cliff Lee. Phils scout Charley Kerfeld watched Lee pitch in Seattle yesterday. Lee improved to 7-9 in the Indians' 12-3 win. He went seven innings, allowed two earned runs, walked none and struck out four, lowering his ERA to 3.14.

Lee won the American League Cy Young Award last season when he went 22-3 and posted a 2.54 ERA. Through 2004 to 2006, he won a combined 46 games.

The Phillies also have scouted Seattle lefty Jarrod Washburn, a free-agent-to-be who is 8-6 with a 2.71 ERA and has allowed just two runs in his last four starts.

It appears that something will get done before Friday's trade deadline. Adding to that speculation is the fact that general manager Ruben Amaro and his staff are making the trip out west with the team, although a Phillies spokesman said yesterday it is normal procedure when the team is traveling near the trade deadline.

An interesting side note: The Blue Jays will be playing in Oakland this weekend while the Phillies will be playing the Giants in San Francisco. The Hotel Nikko could be a hot spot, as both the Jays and the Phils will be staying there.

Imagine, Halladay could get traded to a new team in a different league and not even have to switch hotel rooms.

When asked where Roy Halladay ranked among the many pitchers he's faced throughout his career, Phils outfielder Raul Ibanez said: "Probably the best. Him and Pedro [Martinez] when Pedro was in Boston."

Martinez, of course, was signed by the Phillies last week.

Rehabbing pitchers Brett Myers (hip surgery), Chad Durbin (back muscle), J.C. Romero (forearm strain) and Clay Condrey (side strain) are all expected to be in Clearwater today. *

Daily News sports writer Paul Hagen contributed to the report.