Rockies Rumors: Atkins, Holliday, Barmes

well, some of you mocked at me in previous posts, but here it is again. A Matt Cain for Matt Holliday deal will be bounced around alot this offseason. I know it's not the smartest move for the giants and I don't want to trade Cain, especially to an interdivision rival, or for 1 year of Holliday, but with Sabeans history and the Giants true need (a really good hitter), this makes sense in reality.

The giants aren't going to only get 1 year of Holliday. They will either get a negotiating period, or more players. I can see something around Matt Cain and Randy Winn for Matt Holliday and Garrett Atkins. There most likely be other "prospects" involved, but none of the top level ones. I know rockies fans don't like the idea of both in a deal together but think about it.

Matt Cain is signed for a while and cheap. Randy Winn would absolutely thrive hitting in coors field, with or without the humidor. And he could instantly fill the outfield hole created by Holliday.

Matt Holliday is only signed for 1 year, no matter how good he is, at one year he isn't worth a 23 year old potetial ace with nearly 4 full years of service time locked up cheap, all by himself. If he were signed longer, this is an entirely different disscusion. Atkins is a very good player in his own right but also has poor contract status when trying to maximize his trade value. He helps land Cain and others while the giants get their 3B and more offense.

All of this makes it possible for Sabean to justify, in his own mind that is, why he spends another 100+ million on a pitcher, Sabathia...I hope I'm wrong.

If I were Dan O'Dowd I'd be trying my best to trade Matt Holliday now. There are fewer and fewer bad GM's out there, especially now that Bill Bavasi is no longer running the M's. He's still got Ed Wade, Ned Colletti and Brian Sabean to deal with though. If I were O'Dowd I'd be on the horn with Colletti right now trying to deal him Matt Holliday for Matt Kemp and whatever else I could get. Then, next year when Matt Holliday turns into Matt Kemp and Matt Kemp turns into Matt Holliday you sit back and enjoy the extra pre-free agency years that Kemp gives you. That ought to confuse the heck out of Colletti shouldn't it?

Vasquez is worth Atkins straight up. Only once since 2000 has Vasquez not thrown 200 innings. Atkins has terrible home/road splits. At least Holliday hits .300+ on the road.