Outfield: Now what for Matt Holliday
The Cardinals and free-agent OF Matt Holliday are working towards a new contract, and it’s ‘gaining momentum,’ reports Derrick Gould of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Jon Heyman of SI.com said Holliday rejected a deal worth at least six years from the Cardinals at some point over the last few weeks.
According to Heyman, “Holliday is still talking to multiple teams.”
Updated at 6:38 pm:
According to the Baltimore Sun, “Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail vehemently denied a report that said the club had made an eight-year, $130 million offer to Holliday.”
Updated at 2:39 pm:
Tracy Ringolsby of FoxSports.com believes the Cardinals have made an eight-year offer to free-agent OF Matt Holliday, which could be worth up to $140 million.
Similarly, Ringolsby says the Orioles made an eight-year, $130 million offer to Holliday.
Original Post at 9:59 am:
Buster Olney of ESPN.com believes agent Scott Boras has been doubling back to buyers for Holliday, in light of Jason Bay signing with the Mets.
…by the way, reports on Sirius Radio yesterday that the Mets were also about to sign holliday were obviously wrong, and the station said it was misreported information…
Olney feels the Cardinals still remain the most likely destination for Holliday, who has been seeking $18 million per season, according to one person he talked with.
…i am very, very interested to see how boras plays this… prior to bay signing, i figured any team to guarantee six years and $100 million would get holliday… but, now, with bay gone, i bet the Cardinals feel he can be had for less, or just a bit more than bay, say, five years, $80 million… the thing is, if the price starts to drop, you know boras will go to the Yankees, Red Sox, Giants, Angels, etc., and say, ‘Look, we have this five-year offer, and are ready to take it, unless you want to try to beat it,’ and then the real negotiating will begin… in the end, i bet he gets the sixth year from St. Louis, but he ends up being paid around $16 million per season… the real sticking point is going to be the no-trade clause, which he has been asking for since his days in Colorado…
