MILWAUKEE - Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak on Thursday refused to discuss specifically the team’s interest in Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay but allowed that he would be contacting Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi about a potential talent match.

“I’m not going to get into a conversation about another team’s player. It’s my policy not to. But as I said recently, we’re going to take stock of where we stand then more forward accordingly,” Mozeliak said. “Without getting into specifics, it’s fair to say there will be a call to Toronto well before the [non-waiver trade] deadline.”

The Cardinals are among a cluster of teams intrigued by the perennial Cy Young Award contender. And in some ways, they represent a good fit for a player who is under contract through 2010 and enjoys full no-trade protection. The Blue Jays are believed more likely to deal Halladay to the National League, and Halladay is known to have a favorable opinion of St. Louis. Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter is among Halladay’s closest friends. St. Louis also offers a more neutral stadium in addition to a less caustic fan base than rumored front-runner Philadelphia.

Mozeliak said the team’s recent trade of reliever Chris Perez and a player to be named for Cleveland Indians infielder-outfielder Mark DeRosa does not necessarily inhibit the club’s ability to make a huge deal. “Another deal would be completely independent and, in my mind, no less possible because of [the DeRosa acquisition].”

The Cardinals, however, are more likely to aim lower, pursuing a set-up reliever and bench help. The timetable for DeRosa’s return from a torn tendon sheath near his left wrist will also affect whether the club believes another front-line hitter necessary.