According to this report on mlbtraderumors.com (which piggy backs from a San Fran Chronicle article), the Cardinals are going to make a push for Matt Holliday. It appears it mostly hinges on how much they want to part with top prospect Brett Wallace. Wallace was also at the center of the rumors about the Cards landed Halladay (didn't notice the similarity until I typed it), so he is clearly a wanted man.
There are some interesting points to this potential trade. Holliday makes $13.5 mil a year, so that would a substantial add-on for a franchise that had no interest in spending money this past off season. However, this would be the perfect trade for them on a couple of levels.
Losing Wallace, a third baseman, wouldn't be easy because that is an unsettled position currently in St. Louis. But Holliday would provide the Cardinals with, what I believe, is the element they need to win the division. They need protection for Albert, and there is no one on their current roster than can provide that on a night to night basis.
Ryan Ludwick is pretty good and ticketed for a big second half, but he can be pitched around. DeRo is a solid hitter, but he isn't a cleanup hitter. Even though Holliday hasn't been at his best this year (.287-11-54-.379), he'd surely benefit from a return to the NL, a much better team, and oh yeah, the best hitter in baseball being in the same lineup. If Ludwick and DeRo become secondary options to Pujols-Holliday, then as a Cubs fan I am very scared.
Acquiring Holliday would also go a long way in keeping Pujols in St. Louis long term. I don't really understand why the Cardinals didn't go out and try to get either Adam Dunn or Bobby Abreu to provide at least some form of legit protection and/or depth for Albert. It looks like an especially large oversight now that they need an outfielder. I know Albert is a proud Cardinal, but I would also have to think eventually he will grow frustrated that his prime years are being spent without a formidable guy behind him. Getting Holliday would likely enhance how content he already is in St. Louis, and make the overtures he will surely receive from the Yankees, Red Sox, and whatever mystery teams chime in moot in 2011.
I am keeping my fingers crossed this all speculation and this doesn't actually have any legs.
Photo courtesy deconstructingthoughts.mlblogs.com.
Interesting. I think you're absolutely right about this being a deal to convince Pujols to stay long term. If they can afford it, I don't see why they don't pull the trigger. Put Ludwick in RF, Holliday in LF, and whatever bum they want in CF, and they have a pretty good long-term outfield. Assuming they dump Glaus' 12.1 mil after this year, that would free up enough money to cover Holliday's $13.5 mil. You have to figure Pujols gets an astronomical A-Rod type contract when he comes up as a free agent in 2011, or as an extension sometime soon. No question STL can afford it. I think they've been sandbagging for the past year and a half to save up for this payday.
ReplyDeleteI think at this point its just a formality that they get Holliday, lucky for the NL it wasn't Halladay that they got.
ReplyDeleteI would much prefer Halladay to Holliday but, man, would this be a sweet deal. Cards need immediate help to jump start this lineup (especially since the departure of beloved Chris Duncan, haha). Wallace won't be ready for at least a year so I have absolutely no problem parting ways with him.
ReplyDeleteYou make some good points about Pujols. Because even though he is supposed to be a Cardinal-for-life, it won't happen if we don't get him protect. If this deal goes through, the Cards have to get an extension out of Pujols by the following week.