According to SI.com, the Colorado Rockies have traded their All-Star outfielder, Matt Holliday, to the Oakland A’s. It is not known at this time who Colorado will receive in the trade.
Oakland owner Lew Wolff has recently told confidants he’s tired of losing, and this may be the first step toward contending again. Although, they better do it soon, as Holliday is eligible for free agency after the 2009 season. He is to make $13 million in ‘08, a princely sum for an Oakland player. The A’s could also consider trading Holliday, perhaps at the deadline, if they so desire.
I have to agree with the article; this trade doesn’t make much sense for the A’s, who are not really close to competing, even in the weak AL West. Rumors about Billy Beane’s retirement have been floating around for a few years, so is it possible this is the first of many trades in his farewell tour? It wouldn’t surprise me to see an egomaniac like Beane break the bank to win a championship in 2009 if he plans on retiring at year’s end.
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This doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the road for Billy Beane, or even a change in philosophy. I see two ways this could make sense in his terms:
– As SI’s story says, Holliday could be a valuable trading chip sometime between now and 8/1/09. (It’s become more common in recent years for a down-market team to make offseason signings with an eye toward midseason trading options.)
– If they hold onto him through the season, they get compensatory draft picks. Beane likes to load up on draft picks.
Also, I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that the A’s will be significantly better in 2009. They had a very young and talented starting rotation; Holliday will be a major offensive and defensive upgrade over Jack Cust. It’s hard to imagine them catching up with the Angels or making a wild card run, but it’s not absolutely out of the question. They might be looking at the 2008 Rays, and thinking “Why not us?”
Yes! That means we get a chance to see the brilliant J.Outfield of J.Bay, J.Ells and J.D work together and get better together, each one with something to prove. Gold Glove caliber defense, above average speed, 70-80SB, a .290/60-70HR/250RBI/250-300R offense, and an extra $15-20M to go after pitching. Thank you Billy Beany.
I’m thrilled about this since it guarantees the Red Sox won’t get him. Let’s see how Dante Bichette II’s road splits from the worst division in baseball play out in a tougher league and a hitter’s park
Bob is right.
Holliday posted nearly a 1.000 OPS at home but a sub-.900 on the road in 2008. If you look at his 3-year splits, the gap only widens, going from 1.100 at home to sub-.900 on the road.
So Holliday goes from a top 5 hitter’s park to a top 5 pitcher’s park, and it’s his reputation that suffers. Maybe Billy Beane’s, too. I hope the A’s areN’T planning on re-routing Holliday midseason, because unless he has a monster first half, there’s no way they recoup whatever talent they gave the Rox to acquire him.
Great news. Now sign J-Bay long term!
yeah I meant pitchers park not hitters park, sorry, it’s been a long day
I don’t think it is as terrible as most for Oakland but weird given the fact they will finish behind Anaheim (I think they will be better then Texas and Seattle) and are a long-shot for the wild card. Maybe they figure they have a shot at the wild card with 18 games against the terrible pitching in Texas and Seattle being weak, combined with NY, Bos, Tampa and perhaps Toronto being competitive enough to cancel out a wild card berth from the AL East. Even if that were to happen I’d imagine a resurgent Cleveland (I think they will bounce back big time in 2009), Minnesota or Chicago will be better positioned to get the wild card.
Houston Street has proven he is not an elite closer and is a set-up man at best on a good team….the A’s also have internal options that were better in 2008 and will likely be better in 2009. Carlos Gonzales has a lot of talent but has a terrible reputation regarding his work ethic and attitude. Greg Smith is a 4/5 starter at the MLB level and the A’s have some nice pitching prospects coming. Carlos Gonzales is the only piece that may prove to be regrettable as he has a lot of talent, but again I’ve heard nothing but bad things about his personality and he was nothing special in 2008 at the MLB or triple-a level. The choice of draft picks or one or two elite prospects at the trade deadline may be more valuable then what they gave up I guess….although they are perhaps selling low on Street and Gonzales.
Are you saying, Jared, that Street was part of the deal. He became a setup man this year and did a good job at it, and would have been perfect to back Papelbon. If he goes to Denver, or the National League anywhere, he will get a new life . . . the poor guy has been on the trade block for 3 years.
I like Street enough, just not as a closer and Oakland has a strong bullpen. I’m just making the point that they dealt from strength in some regards. They have a good bullpen (if not somewhat unproven) with Ziegler, Casilla, Brown, Blevins and Devine. They have some potential depth in the rotation to deal Smith with Gio Gonzales, Dana Eveland, Sean Gallagher, Dallas Braden. Guys like Brett Anderson, Faustino De Los Santos and possibly Trevor Cahill (gonna be a stud, probably not to 2010 although he is already pitched well in double a at 20) aren’t too far off. If they can add a #2 or hope a Gonzales or Gallagher steps up behind Duscherer they may be able to put together a decent to good rotation. Gonzales may pull a Carlos Quentin and pull it all together, especially in Colorado but like I said his attitude has been questioned on a few occasions…also he does not draw many walks and if even he does work out he may only be a 20-25 homerun guy which is nothing spectacular for a corner outfielder if his walk rates don’t improve.
Maybe they are able to make a run at the wildcard if a few things go there way, I admit it is a longshot but I don’t think the trade is horrible….definitely surprising. Of course that will depend on how Holiday is able to hit away from Coors full-time. I think he will be good still as he is a patient hitter, draws walks and should be good for 25 homeruns.
Oakland news already has Holliday being flipped within the year, and Colorado news already has Street being flipped within a month.
He needs a home, and they can flip him to the Red Sox where he wouldn’t close, on a team with a strong enough pen to take pressure off him, allow him to heal fully, and set up with Oki, Masterson, MDC. He could also successfully cover for Papelbon if needed.
With Bard and Jones coming up, the Red Sox Pen would become the most formidable in the game, stronger and more reliable than the Rays’, which is their strongest element. Other teams are looking at him as THE closer, but the Sox would look at him as A backup closer if necessary. At age 25, he could be the bullpen’s missing ingredient, and have a long. productive career with the Sox.
According to Peter Gammons, Billy Bean tried to acquire Jason Bay before moving on to Holliday.
That’s interesting about Bay…kind of lends credence that he is trying to compete or appease the fan base in 2009 but is also after draft picks/deadline prospects considering Bay’s UFA status. They already have a top 3 farm system, could be setting up a Tampa style feeder system.
In another news, aparently the Hanshin Tigers are offering a 4 year 18mm contract to Kawakami. I dont like it. I preffer to throw a few millions more and go after Sabathia.
MAG, I may be wrong but I imagine that is 18 mil total over 4 years (4.5 mil/year)…I don’t think anyone in Japan comes close to 18 mil/year. either way I am not too interested in him.
You are right, Jarded. I apologize for that piece of missinformation.
Seems that Theo fully understands the value of J.B. and J.D. on offense and D. Holliday represented incremental offensive improvement, inferior D, at substantial cost.
Agree with MAG, though, that we must get a top of rotation pitcher.
I just reviewed the 2008 SP and RP stats, which the Jays absolutely dominated, especially in areas like K’s, ERA, WHIP. AJ Burnett contributed greatly to those #’s. Importantly, the Rays also beat the Sox in most categories, and the Yanks were stronger in several categories. If we plan to compete, we need top pitching.
If not CC, we need AJ or Ben or DL. Kawamaki and Tazawa we should sign, and they will have an important role as the season unfolds and they adjust, especially if we do something foolish like trade Buc or Bo. But we should begin ST with a fourth potential ACE, like CC or AJ or Ben. And this is a good time to get Marte, or Street from Colorado.
Gerry, not that anyone here disagrees with you, but my question is, when has Theo given any indication so far this offseason that it’s in his plan to throw money at high-priced, high-risk, FA pitchers?
And I also agree that, pretending for a moment we do add a top-flight FA pitcher this winter, if we can keep him healthy, we’re virtually assured of a playoff berth every year for the next 5 years. But that’s a big if — and that, no doubt, is where Theo has his hangup with the tactic of adding FA pitchers. Maybe he feels that we’re taking no more of a gamble by giving the last rotation spot to one of the kids, and at a much cheaper price.
Or maybe he’s playing his cards close to the chest. Who knows?
The fact Theo has shown no interest in any of the FA, don’t necesarily mean anything. Our FO never show their cards until the last minute. The biggest moves we have made in the past, we have made it by surprise (Schilling, Beckett, Matsuzaka). Theo is very intelligent, and that’s why I think rummors like Teixeira are nothing but a smoke curtain, and a move to drive his price for the yankees. If we really wanted him, I think our office will be more quiet.
So, about whom Theo is quiet now? I think we are not gonna see his true intentions until he has a done deal.
My point all along is that Buchholz, Bowden and Masterson, and Lowrie, need to be untouchable at this point. We don’t have a SS alternative and there is none out there available with nearly his high side. Other than Buc, Bo and Monsterson, we don’t even have a fifth starter, and we have no dominant depth without them.
Yet, Mazz throws their names around like holy water as possible trades for players we really don’t need, pushing so hard to spend $100M for Holliday or Teix and ignoring what amounts to a pitching crisis . . . even if we keep Buc and Bo. So much thoughtless BS. He’s playing so casually with real people’s lives and careers here.
IMO, we have potential Ace and Closer talent just a month or three away in AAA (Buc, Bo, Bard, Jones, Gronk). We don’t need CC or AJ if we keep these guys and make do with temporary bridges until their talents are ready.
My first choice all along has been to use Masterson, temporarily, as #5 in April. I know, I know, he is perfect for the Pen, but he is also a good #5, and therefore a perfect temporary bridge. We don’t need a long term contract with a journeyman. We have the right stuff already. When Buchholz or Bowden are ready, bring them up, and move Masterson back to the Pen, all stretched out. Worst case scenario is that Justin repeats his fine 2008 performance.
Let Hansack prove himself in the 7th slot in the Pen until Justin returns, allowing Gronk, Jones, Bard to get it together in AAA and come up when ready. That will be something to see.
CC, AJ??? How do our kids project? IMO, Buchholz and Bowden could become as productive as these top FA’s perhaps as early as May or June. But we can’t trade these kids away for a catcher or outfielder and at the same time NOT replace them with a CC or AJ. Without them we would have 4 starting pitchers and the talented Pauley and Zinc, if not also liberated, for depth. Quite a difference from 2008.
Summary: Either keep Buc, Bo, Justin or get CC and others to replace them. And stop any talk about kid Lowrie. Too bad he won’t be eligible for ROY in 2009, because he (like Peds, Lincecum, Youk and others) is going to prove alot of ‘experts’ inexpert.