The Phillies and Blue Jays are still talking seriously about a Roy Halladay trade, and the latest word is that if Toronto settles for hot left-handed pitcher J.A. Happ rather than insisting on top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek, the rest of the prospect package would be stronger.

The Phillies would prefer to keep Drabek because he is seen as having vast potential, according to sources. Drabek is known for a mid-90s fastball and dynamic breaking ball, but Toronto may see Happ, who's already succeeding at the big-league level (7-0, 2.68 ERA for the Phillies), as a worthy alternative. On Tuesday Jays executive Tony LaCava scouted Drabek at Altoona, Pa., where Drabek was pitching for the Double-A Reading team, and the New York Times reported that he hit 96 mph on the gun.

Baseball executives view the Phillies, who have a deep farm system and the determination to get a deal done, as the frontrunners in a Halladay derby that once included about a dozen suitors and has captured baseball's attention. The bold Brewers are seen as a darkhorse in the field, but Philly seems to be making progress.

A top outfield prospect, either Michael Taylor or Dominic Brown, is likely to be the second piece in any package. Brown seems to be rated slightly higher by most scouts in terms of potential, but Taylor is having a nice year and one scout said of him, "He's a beast."

The teams are also believed to have discussed shortstop prospect Jason Donald (the Jays seek a shortstop in the deal) and pitching prospect Carlos Carrasco. But the Phillies have several more worthy prospects, such as outfielders John Mayberry Jr. and Anthony Hewitt, pitchers Jason Knapp and Antonio Bastardo and catcher Lou Marson.