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In a report from the GM Meetings in Chicago, Jon Heyman of SI.com says people believe the Mets prefer Matt Holliday to Jason Bay.
According to Heyman, “The Mets are desperate for a power-hitting outfielder,” and Holliday has the Mets and Yankees high on his list of preferred teams.
…the new buzz coming from Camp Boras suggests the bidding for holliday must 
start at eight years, and at least $17 million per season… yes, eight, 136… jeeez… also, it doesn’t sound like he has any limitations… i mean, i am sure there are places he would prefer to play… but, in the end, he’s going where the money is… this is his time to shine, it’s time to be a star, and boras is going to make it happen for him…
Heyman also says the Mets are expected to make a play for free-agent LHP Randy Wolf.
…the early word from Los Angeles is wolf is seeking a three-year deal, like Oliver Perez signed last off season, and the Dodgers have zero interest in giving him such a deal… i bet wolf is late to sign, and ends up getting a two-year, $16 million deal from someone… it would not surprise me to see it be the Mets…
To read more news, notes and rumors from Heyman, including the latest on Hideki Matsui, the market for Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, the future of Chone Figgins, Hank Blalock, Orlando Hudson, and Carlos Delgado, click here.
Heres what I take from this, the good and the bad.
The good is that Boras used $17 million as his figure, and not $18+. The bad is that he is saying 8 years.
Why do I get the prevailing feeling that its going to be 7 for $17?
If the Red Sox retain Bay and the Yankees make it clear early that they arent going after Holliday by signing Damon or Matsui, then I think the market could shape in our favor.
As far as big market teams, the Dodgers won’t be in it, Holliday won’t go to the Giants, even though I don’t think they could afford it anyway. The Cubs arent doing it.
Really it would come down to the Mets vs the Cardinals, and I just don’t see the Cardinals outspending the Mets. They still have to worry about Pujols.
Why does anyone even care what comes out of ‘Camp Boras’? Scott Boras does not set the price for his clients, the market does. What if no one bids $17/8? Is he going to sit out next year?
Its all pure nonsense. A player is worth what the highest bidder is willing to pay, no what Boras says he is worth.
That’s the problem, some one always does.
I know it would be seen as an illegal move by the player’s union and all, but I’d love to see some kind of cap on guaranteed years in MLB.
It’s just bad for the sport … so many players with so many bad contracts sitting around paralyzing teams. The odds of someone staying productive and healthy over something like an 8 year deal is horrific … and it’s a crap shoot for the teams (which in turn simply hurts the fans, the paying customers).
Allow as many option years as you want, but at least set some kind of reasonable cap on guaranteed years. This is getting absurd … with guys like Boras around, it wont be long before someone agrees to a 10 year deal where 9 of those years are terrible due to some freak injury.
I would say he set the market for Ollie
He set the market for SP’s by getting Lowe his ridiculous contract.
That then trickled down to all SPers, with the ones no getting mutli years getting pretty big 1 year.
Collusion is needed … badly. Boras is helping the players, no doubt, but hurting the fans.
How can an agent say the bidding starts anywhere?
Is Holliday going to retire or play indy ball if no team is willing to go for 8 years?
The 17 is steep, and probably more than he is worth, but I guess that is the cost of playing in the FA sandbox for front line players.
5 years at that money? That makes more sense. He would actually still be older than Beltran will be when the contract finishes.
5/85, and work on getting another SP and 2B and BU C, couple of pen arms, and be all set for 2010.
I’d sign Holliday for 6 years for 17 or 17.5 million. ThenI’d try to after LAckey. People say both Holliday and LAckey won’t happen but iz think it can be done since OMar said money isn’t a problem. I’d go after Wolf or MArquis or GArland for another pitcher that is cheap. I’ sign Molina or Olivo or BArajas for a cheap 2 year contract. I’d boost the bullpen and bench a liitle bit and maybe trade CAstillo and sign Hudson.
Well, St. Louis has unofficially said that they would go for a 6 year deal. I can’t see why they would not throw in a team option for 7 and 8. I would go as high as 7 with a team option for 8. If that is not good enough, then we would have to look some where else. To give him a guaranteed 8 year deal would be ridiculous.
I feel like there are going to be a lot of posts like this before anybody signs Holliday. I hope Omar does something quickly
i truly doubt Holliday gets more than 6/18 …
i can’t see anyone signing him for more than 6 years … more like 5 and an option …
he’ll probably get 5/95 …. or 6/115 … or something in between …