11:54am: The Rockies have formally announced the move. Infielder Garrett Hampson was optioned to Triple-A to open a spot on the active roster.
9:16am: Matt Holliday looks to be on the verge of donning a Rockies uniform for the first time since 2008. Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post (via Twitter) that Holliday, who signed a minor league contract with the organization earlier this month, will have his contract selected today and could be at Coors Field for today’s game.
When Holliday went unsigned this past offseason at the age of 38, many wondered whether that might be the end of an excellent 14-year big league career. But the veteran slugger told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch back in April that he hoped to continue his playing career, and his original organization has given him the opportunity to do so.
Holliday has made the most of his opportunity in Triple-A Albuquerque, where he’s absolutely clobbered minor league pitching through a small sample of 15 games and 62 plate appearances. In that brief trial run, Holliday has batted .346/.452/.596 with three homers and four doubles. He’s also drawn nine walks against nine strikeouts in his return to professional ball.
The Rockies cleared a spot on the 40-man roster yesterday when Double-A catcher Chris Rabago was claimed on outright waivers by the Yankees. Presumably, that spot will go to Holliday, who’ll give the Rockies an additional option in the outfield corners and at first base. A corresponding 25-man move will still need to be made.
Holliday spent the 2017 season with the Yankees and served as the team’s primary designated hitter for much of the season, batting .231/.316/.432 with 19 home runs and 18 doubles in 427 plate appearances during his lone season in the Bronx. In total, he’s a career .299/.378/.511 hitter with 314 home runs through 7916 plate appearances between the Rockies, Athletics, Cardinals and Yankees.
Bring that career average to .300, maybe sneak the Rockies into the playoffs, and go out a hero
He still hasn’t touched home
Second worst call in baseball history with the first being the Mark Langston fastball right down the middle to Tino Martinez being called a ball in the ‘98 World Series. Instead of striking out he hits a grand slam. God hates the Padres.
Armando Galaraga losing a perfect game with a blown call on the final out was the worst call in MLB history.
Worst call ever was the robbed perfect game
The infamous “infield” fly rule” game in ATL vs the cards in the wild card playoff would like a word
Not familiar with that famous blown strike call that cost the Pads the entire World Series. Maybe it’s time to let that one go 20 years later?
If you’re a Padres fan you’ll never let that go. It’s not like we get there much, so all we have is bad memories. Although I blame Bochy for pulling Brown too early anyway, and for going for the lefty-lefty matchup in that spot even though Langston had proved at that point that he was beyond washed up. Would they have won the series anyway? No. But at least it may have been more interesting? So yeah, I guess I’m stuck in the past too.
Did the Padres get swept in that series?
Don Dinkengers blown call in the 6th game of the World series is by far the worst detrimental call.
WS or Playoff calls always trump Regular season calls
It wasn’t exactly right down the middle the issue to it was his check swing more than crossed the plain and should have been strike 3. I’m not saying they would have won the series but they would have taken a game or two. But, the worst call in baseball wasn’t that missed call of a perfect game but the missed call of the 1985 World Series in game 6. Cardinals should have won
Yes but shouldn’t have been
Oh well 1-8 in the World Series
amen!
Why? They got that one right unless you think picking it up and making too throws was too difficult for the cards.
That ended Armando career, was never the same since
I think Galarrga’s perfect game missed call was the worst in MLB history. That wasn’t that close of a play either.
Wait, wait. You’re all discussing blown calls. I think Jerry Meals and that DISGRACE of a call saying Lugo was safe on that tag at home plate takes the rotten by god cake.
Jkurk_22, the “infield fly” call was not blown. A fielder was indeed camped under it at the time the call was made, and the rule does not specify that the ball needs to technically be on the infield nor that the fielder camped under it needs to be an infielder. The ball just needs to be shallow enough to have a decent chance at turning a double play were it to fall, which it was had a fielder been close enough to immediately pick it up.
Here here!!
I have to disagree with that. He was nowhere near the infield. Plus, I never saw the player set his feet and actually camp underneath the ball. He was moving towards it the whole time and decided at the last moment to pull away.
Yes… The umpire’s blown call at 1B costing Aramando Gallaga’s perfect game is number 1. After that, the entire 1997 post season umpiring. “Baseball is fixed!” I’ll never be convinced otherwise.
it didn’t cost the world series, but it definitively costed game 1, and the momentum.
What a stupid thing to say. It’s a World Series. You never let that go. Card fans don’t forget about the blown call in the 85 series against the royals and it’s been 33 years
He was awarded home due to obstruction without the ball.
So? It just made the horror of blowing the playoffs come a little bit sooner for the Padres. So, in reality he was just trying to pull the band aid off more quickly.
Every time Mark Grant says that, which is like 2,368 times a year it never hurts any less lol. Brian Giles lollipop throw on a Jaime Carroll line drive to right. Michael Barrett behind the plate.
Remember it like it was yesterday. Played hookie from high school with my baseball buddies so we could go to a friends house and order pizza and watch the game. When your favorite team has made the playoffs on only a handful of occasions.
Next year marks 50 years of existence for the Padres and they have made the postseason 5 times. Yes, 5 times. It’s a national holiday out here when that happens. Lol
At least they were very competent in 2004, 2007 and 2010, even if they did not made the playoffs those years. the problem has been this decade, it’s been awful.
Good luck to him and the Rockies the rest of the season.
Right in time for the Cardinals series!
Right I’m exited
Where you going?
If the Rockies make the post season, he would be eligible for post season play and could be big help in the lineup as veteran with fresh legs….problem is they may have to win the division to make post season play.
No they don’t necessarily have to win the division
..that’s why I said “may”….there’s a lot of baseball left and they are only 1.5 game behind ARI but STL, MIL, and LAD are still lurking. This is a good time for Holliday to get on board.
Lurking? Mil and STL are ahead of the Rockies.
Let’s be honest only STL is ahead of the Rockies the brewers aren’t going to the playoffs this year
This is a very kewl thing. If he’s 1/10 the positive clubhouse influence everybody says he is (you can’t even measure it, it’s so high, says Joe Giradi), he helps the Rox. Lord knows the man could always hit.
He was an incredible influence and clubhouse leader in STL. One of my absolute favorite guys. Will be a pretty cool moment to see him put on that Rockies uniform for a last run with his original team. Best of luck Matt!
He was with Aaron Judge last year as well. It was a big story in baseball how good of a clubhouse guy he is and how the young guys like to gravitate to him.
…..Just keep him out of LF
No one suggests Holliday is Andru Jones in the OF; never was…..all he has to be is better than the 25th guy on the Rox roster……and that he almost certifiably is…..minimum wage, clubhouse presence, opposing managers forced to think twice about bringing in a lefty with him on the bench…that equals no brainer.
Good for you matty, nice move rox.
I always liked matt. Good for him. Right in time to play us, very awesome. Wish the cards had thought to sign him to a minors deal too, I know we had alot of outfielders, but would have been nice to have him back. Hope he comes back as a coach of some sort to the cards organization. If he goes into the hall, which hat does he wear?
I mean he has more seasons as a cardinal. It’s likely be his choice due to similar success.
Also probably not going in the Hall.
Probably a toss up, but I don’t think we will really have to worry about it. Holliday MIGHT get 5% his first year on the ballot, but I don’t think there is any chance of him getting in the HOF. I could see him getting into the team Hall of Fame for both the Rockies and Cardinals though. And to me, that means just as much, if not more.
I do have to wonder what jersey number he will wear. His #5 was taken by Carlos Gonzalez, so that is out. The #17 he wore with the Yankees is retired for Todd Helton. The #15 he wore with the Cardinals is taken by Raimel Tapia, but I would think Holliday could get it if he really wanted it. He could go with #50. It was taken by Brooks Pounders earlier this year, but he isn’t on the team anymore.
Wasn’t he 7 with the cardinals?
He was 7 and 15. I wasn’t sure which one was most often. #7 for the Rockies is Garrett Hampson, which means he would have to take the guy’s roster spot and his number all in the same day. That’s just cold.
He wore #7 for almost his entire run with the Cardinals. Normally, a team would keep the numbers of optioned players in reserve, but Holliday could easily make a deal with Hampson for the number if he wants it.
He wore #15 his first half season with the Cards and 7 the rest of the way. I got it backwards and thought it was the other way around.
He is wearing #7 for the Rox. He is in the lineup today.
He wore #7 in StL, Pujols wore #5
Respect for his willingness to sign a minor league deal and earn his way back to the big leagues.
I think he gets plenty of time at first, DH’s interleague games, and if a threat off the bench.
Only real question is if he is staying with the one batting glove look or back to two. Lol Because I think we all still know he is going to slug, the guy can flat out hit. Don’t care about his age.
One career that I think helped change the image of Coors field to certain extent. Guys have been criticized from the inception of that ballpark for not being able to maintain home/road splits due to obvious reasons. Holliday silenced that for really for first time, Arenado now benefits from that same respect around the league, where it’s now acceptable to be like no. He can play anywhere, don’t use his home ballpark as a crutch in defining who he is as a player.
I’m a Padre fan and watch every game. Whether we play the Rockies at PETCO or at Coors it’s still the same. Arrenado hits anywhere. Oh and the glove travels too obviously.
1.100 OPS at home vs .850 away this season.
Obviously .850 is good, but you can see how he’s able to have elite overall numbers thanks in part to Coors.
Still would like him on pretty much any team.
You say that as if most players don’t play better at home… advantage? Yes. But let’s not exaggerate it all
I’m glad to see Matthew Thomas Holliday back in the MLB. It is simply DELIGHTFUL!
Holliday touching home would never have been an issue if umps made right call on Garrett Atkins home run that the mistakenly said never left, holding Atkins to a double.
Meanwhile, Tapia continues to rot in AAA and loses potential valuable developmental ab’s to Holliday in September. If I were a competing GM I’d diabolically ask Bridich if he wanted to go out for a Coors Lite to discuss the availability of his forgotten 6th outfielder.
The Rockies are not trying to develop talent right now. They are trying to make the playoffs. They will have plenty of chances to develop talent in August and September during losing seasons. Besides, the minor leagues are literally developmental leagues and he is getting plenty of at bats there.
Great news, good to see you back Holliday!
As a baseball fan, how can you not like this?
#beanhollidayfirstchanceyouget
Happy to see him back in the bigs, he was one of my fav Cards players, and he’s still one of my favorite ballplayers.