Matt Holliday Update

Choking away Millions. I'd still sign him.

It's almost like if the A's don't sign him and Holliday still puts up a 20HR .280 80-85RBI line and the A's offer him arbitration.. Boras may have learned his lesson last year with under performing clients (Varitek) and jump all over arbitration this year, then the A's are stuck with him yet again, only not with Holliday at 13.5M.. But at 16-18M and NO WAY can they afford that.. The A's have got to trade him, I just can't see Beane as smart as he is taking a chance holding onto this guy until after the trade deadline.

This case I believe is a portent of things to come in this trade market. Its going to be increasingly hard to trade stars with large contract because of the economy. The few teams who can take on cash know that they are one of just a few and wont offer very much in terms of prospects because they noone else is really in the bidding.

The deals we may be seeing this July will be trading young player for young players or deals like the McLouth deal. I could see some mlb ready pitching prospect for mlb ready hitter prospect go down more often than it has in the past.

The A's will move him next month and take the best deal they can get. Holliday would be a great fit in Cincy and the Reds have some major league ready farmhands, but how high are they willing to go, and can they get him signed for a few more years???

"But at 16-18M and NO WAY can they afford that.. The A's have got to trade him, I just can't see Beane as smart as he is taking a chance holding onto this guy until after the trade deadline."

They can afford him. This team is constructed to have major payroll flexibility next year.

Including Holliday's salary, they have over 25MM coming off the books (OCab, Giambi, Crosby, Nomar, Springer, Duke). And, the team only has 1-2 major arb cases (Cust and Wuertz).

Assuming two of Cunningham/Buck/Sweeney can hold down CF and RF (all of them could play a decent defensive CF). The team's biggest offseason needs will be offense, and SS/3B help. There are no good SS FA on the market, and the A's might try Cardenas at one of 3B/SS.

And, I'm assuming insurance is paying a good chunk of Chavez's contract, since he's been injured for a while now.

The A's are one of the deepest teams in the SP department, and the bullpen will probably be getting a major boost from prospects Carignan and Demel along with the return of Devine. They won't need to spend significant money on pitching.

Unless they get a good deal, they should hold on.

"They can afford him. This team is constructed to have major payroll flexibility next year."

I get what you are saying Rex, but the bats coming off the books (other than Cust, another potential costly arbitration case) the A's offense just got gutted once again and there is little left except for the young staff to rebuild with.

"I seriously doubt it. He'd be better off taking a pay cut to play in a hitters park for a year."

I was thinking the same thing.

After seeing the way that hitting in Oakland has sapped his power and killed his BABIP, I doubt that Matt Holliday would stick around if he ever wanted to try to rebuild his value.

My guess is that he either signs a long term deal or takes the Dunn/Burrell route and takes a two-year deal to see if the market rebounds.

"I was thinking the same thing."

Still though, I doubt there won't be a bidding war for Holliday. Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels are all potential suitors and all hitters parks. He won't get the Texiera-esqe contract that Boras was dreaming about but I'm betting he'll get 5/6 years at 15M or 16M per.

I would not be surprised to see Holliday re-sign with the Rockies in the offseason.

"Either update your knowledge, or please dont talk about the Oakland A's ever again, this was the dumbest thing written in here in a long time."

Oakland is going to be purchasing a pretty much entirely new team next year PL I already HAVE updated my knowledge with the 1 year commitments they have to Holliday, OC, Giambi, Crosby and super sub Garciaparra. Maybe you should just get off of your high horse for once and tone your posts down for once.