"Jack Zduriencik knew the question was going to be asked. And the media pretty much knew what the Seattle Mariners general manager's answer would be.

Yet the question still needed be asked, because there was an elephant in the Safeco Field media room larger than a pre-yoga Carlos Silva.

As Zduriencik walked off the stage of the media room of Safeco Field following Chone Figgins' introductory press conference for individual interviews, the question was waiting for him almost immediately.

After one question about the Mariners' new infielder and his impact on the team, the question was tossed out almost matter of factly, perhaps in the hopes that Zduriencik may suddenly forget his stringent personal rules about discussing upcoming transactions.

"So about Cliff Lee, what's his status?" someone asked.

No such luck.

"I have no comment," he said. "Quite frankly, today is all about Chone Figgins. And any other things that we may be talking about – and we have a lot of balls we've been juggling – that will be at another time. Today, this is about Chone Figgins."

Well, Tuesday may have been about Figgins to Zduriencik. But the 24 hours leading up to that point had been all about a blockbuster trade in the making.

Starting early Monday afternoon, the baseball world had been overrun with Internet reports, blog posts and Twitter updates about a proposed three-team trade between the Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies and Mariners that featured a pair of Cy Young winners – Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee.

While proposed deals, possible players involved and other terms circulated and changed all day Monday, by Tuesday the basics of the trade had been pretty well determined.

The Blue Jays would send their longtime ace Halladay and $6 million to the Phillies.

Philadelphia would send Lee and possibly one other player to the Mariners, and then send pitcher Kyle Drabek, catcher Travis D'Arnaud and outfielder Michael Taylor – all prospects – to the Blue Jays. The Mariners in turn would send three prospects: right-handed reliever and 2007 first-round draft pick Phillippe Aumont, speedy outfielder Tyson Gillies and young right-handed starting pitcher Juan (J.C.) Ramirez to the Phillies. "