Return flight for this Jay?

The Sox, according to a team source, would love to compete for Halladay but would like the price to come down.

“To trot out Roy and myself and Adam Wainright and Kyle Lohse every four days, that would be pretty tough,’’ said Carpenter. “Roy is the best. That would be amazing.’’

We don’t know whether the Cardinals, who already have the best player in the game in Albert Pujols, would give up what it would take to land Halladay, but in the tight National League Central such a move could separate St. Louis from the pack.

Owners are looking at the bottom line more than ever these days and prospects are valued so much.

Would Halladay create excitement and put fans in the seats? One would think so, though attendance in Toronto is down and Halladay starts are not considered events like the old Pedro Martínez starts when he was in Montreal and Boston. Manny Ramírez made a 5,000-fan-per game difference in attendance when he got to Los Angeles last Aug. 1. Owners have got to be sure the player can either make them money or win them a championship.

Halladay is torn. He was grilled about his future yesterday and seemed conflicted about leaving Toronto and about which team he would approve a trade to.

He was introduced by Bob Costas at a news conference as “representing, at least for now, the Toronto Blue Jays,’’ which got a laugh from Halladay, who admitted, “I’m not looking forward to this [news conference].’’

“It’s tough,’’ said Halladay, who has 141 career wins and 69 losses. “Obviously, I’m somewhere that I enjoy being and have spent my entire career. There’s a lot, I think, that goes into it.

“I think as a player there’s a will to win. There’s that will to do it in October. Basically, that’s all this is about. I’d like that chance. I’m not saying it won’t be Toronto. But [the speculation] has been tough. I do enjoy Toronto very much.’’

He wants to play for a winner, and although they started strong, the Jays now are 11 games behind in the American League East.