According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Omar Minaya met last night with Scott Boras, who represents free agent outfielders Matt Holliday and Rick Ankiel, pitcher Jarrod Washburn and infielder Alex Cora.
…from what i can gather, the two sides will likely meet again today at some point, before the GM Meetings officially end…
Though teams can have direct dialogue with any agent, a player is not allowed to sign with a new team until Friday, Nov. 20, prior to which he can only ink a deal with his current club.
Boras told reporters yesterday that Holliday is a ‘franchise player,’ just like Mark Teixiera, who signed an eight-year, $180 million with the Yankees last off season.
“You have a franchise player at a young age and you have a chance to differentiate yourself from all others,” he said of Holliday. “We’ll see how many teams are really going to be involved in it.”
Sherman says, “Boras disputed the theory that Holliday does not want to play at Citi Field,” where he believes his client can hit more line drives, more doubles, score 100 runs and drive in 100 runs.
“Matt’s value is based on RBIs and runs scored, and runs produced,” Boras explained to reporters in Chicago.
According to Boras, Holliday is capable of turning a non-playoff team in to a World Series winner.
…gee, i wonder who that line was directed at…
…wow, i bet the Cardinals and Rockies must be really disappointed holliday didn’t use his magic powers to get them a World Series ring… or, do those super powers only work in return for $180 million… dude, he’s a very good player… he might be a great player… he’s not a miracle worker… settle down…
To read more about Boras and the Mets, and the teams plan for the starting rotation and at catcher, read Sherman’s report, here.
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While Holliday didn’t get a WS ring for either the Cardinals or Rockies, the case could be made that the Cards wouldn’t have done as well as they did this year without him, and that the Rockies wouldn’t have made it to the WS when they did without Holliday. He may not be a miracle worker, but he can certainly contribute to that miracle.
I agree that he was a huge help even without getting a ring for the Rockies or the Cards and the A’s were horrible in his short stay. But he is still a great player who brings a lot and is a tremendous upgrade to the Mets lineup. With that being said if it has to be 8 years $180 million than I hope the Mets say thank you but no thankyou and move on.
If Holliday is a great player but that contract is way too much for what he brings to the table.
I agree. Still the Mets should sign him to a reasonable contract.
Reasonable being the optimum word. Since when has Bor-ass ever signed a client to a “reasonable” contract? His posturing about Holliday being a franchise player in the Texeria mold is silly. Holliday is a good, not great hitter.
I suspect his number in Citi would be closer to those he posted for the A’s than what he did for the Cards. St. Louis is like Boston in that players go there and produce at levels they didn’t at other stops.
Let the Yankees have him at that price.
Like reasonable for meant 6-7 years 17-18 mill. That is reasonable what Boras will want.
Why is anyone surprised Bora$ would make outlandish claims about one of his premier clients? He compared Barry Zito to Sandy Koufax – and with a straight face no less.
$cott Bora$ is the devil.
Let’s get real here – Holiday true value is probably only a maximum of 5 years 75 million. Will he get more? Probably, but it’s silly. And I also don’t agree with the notion that Mike Cameron will outperform Jason Bay next season. Of course, Cameron is a better defensive player, but I think I prefer Jason Bay to both of them.
I’ve been playing around with an idea, which is both radical and I’m sure would be quite unpopular. It revolves around skipping sentimentality, gutting quite a bit of our team (well, at least the 3 healthy ones with value) in favor of getting Roy Hallday and a large package of very good young ML players from the Dodgers and also a few free agents, including Jason Marquis, Calero and Beimel. Also, Orlando Cabrera – we should get him. Just remember everybody – it’s quite probable that we won’t get full and productive seasons out of both Beltran and Reyes and it’s even conceivable that both will be sidelined at some point, if not extensively. It will be a major sin to count on them again. Cabrera could be there at 2B and if we end up keeping Castillo, he can be the platoon/backup. If Reyes isn’t up to it, Cabrera can play SS. Enough of the Pollyanna Mets, please.
What would be the point of getting Roy Halladay and signing other free agents if they were to gut the team? That’s a horrible idea. Orlando Cabrera????
Also, it’s more likely that we DO get full productive seasons from Beltran and Reyes. Not the other way around.
I don’t see where you were going with this one….
Well, I didn’t spell out my whole idea, because it’s still not complete and it’s also quite complex. It’s not a full gutting – or I should say that the old team is gutted, but it’s replaced with a new-improved more balanced team. Right now, I think our problem is we have 3 players that we can rely on – Santana, Wright and K-Rod (and it wouldn’t shock me if Santana or K-ROD end up with some injury issues in the next year or two). From what I’ve read, but yet contrary to the common talk of late, Beltran and Reyes are far from likely to be right as rain for the full 2010 season. Beltran supposedly needed microsurgery, but he never had it – remember? I’m also remembering that Reyes only had surgery on one of his two injuries (I think the latter one). So, am I to believe that a guy who relies so much on his legs will have both injuries healed, including the one he debatably never properly addressed? It might be a stretch – pun intended.
So, we have 3 solid superstars and 2 others that I love, but don’t feel we can 100% count on for 150 plus games at full strength. Then, there are “the rest”, which include young and not-so-young – all with different types and degrees of question mark affixed to them – the best of which, I would say, is still John Maine. My formula would be to trade away the 3 “sure things” and a bunch of the question marks. Some of those question marks(but I’d keep Maine) have significant value when bundled together with the sure things including F-Mart, Parnell, Mejia, Thole and Murphy. Because I have a strong feelling that we will end up with a hit or miss mix and match instead and Omar will act surprised (and so will you) if and when Reyes or Beltran end up on the DL again. Hey, what do I know, except that I hope that I am pleasantly surprised by healthy and productive performances here on in from Reyes, Beltran and whoever the rest of our team shapes up to be.
I love the idea of Halladay, a proven commodity and pitcher. And look at the wonders he did with guys like Chris Carpenter and AJ Burnett. You put Santana and Halladay at the top of a rotation, and short series becomes very long for the opposing team.
Jason Marquis has certainly shown that he can be a solid 3 or 4, and at a reasonable price.
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