Update: HOLLIDAY A CARD 7yr/120 million, p178

[Faceman]

Uhh - Holliday played pretty much everyday last year. Assuming Ras and Luddy are healthy and not completely sucking, they will be in there.

Especially since we don't have much for 4th OF.

[cards2468]

yea, out of the spare OF's we have (Craig... Jay?) I don't think Tony likes any of them... so I think we'll be seeing those 3 out there almost every day.

[TheoSqua]

I would not be surprised to see Ankiel come back on a one-year make good deal.

[clevername]

I'd think he'd rather get that 1 year deal somewhere where he's guaranteed a starting spot.

[Michael]

From Olney (linking Bernie):

Matt Holliday gets to be where he wants to be, writes Joe Strauss. Bernie Miklasz wonders: Will Holliday hold his value throughout the length of the contract? Heard the same thing that Bernie writes about here: The Cardinals worked out the enormous extension not so much because they were concerned about another team matching their bid, but because Scott Boras has a history of having his clients sign one-year deals (before going back out on the market) rather than signing a long-term deal that didn't meet their expectations. This just happened with Adrian Beltre, who took a one-year deal with Boston rather than signing a three-year deal with Oakland. The bottom line: The Cardinals took a tremendous gamble -- risking their payroll flexibility for years to come in dealing with their pitching and with skill positions like short, second base and center field -- on a player they really, really like. We'll see how it turns out.

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/in ... ney_buster

[jagtrader]

I wouldn't call it a "tremendous gamble." I put it on par with Rolen's eight-year deal. That didn't work out long-term, but it also didn't cripple the organization.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

From Olney (linking Bernie):

Matt Holliday gets to be where he wants to be, writes Joe Strauss. Bernie Miklasz wonders: Will Holliday hold his value throughout the length of the contract? Heard the same thing that Bernie writes about here: The Cardinals worked out the enormous extension not so much because they were concerned about another team matching their bid, but because Scott Boras has a history of having his clients sign one-year deals (before going back out on the market) rather than signing a long-term deal that didn't meet their expectations. This just happened with Adrian Beltre, who took a one-year deal with Boston rather than signing a three-year deal with Oakland. The bottom line: The Cardinals took a tremendous gamble -- risking their payroll flexibility for years to come in dealing with their pitching and with skill positions like short, second base and center field -- on a player they really, really like. We'll see how it turns out.

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/in ... ney_buster

Thanks! I am glad someone national guys are finally realizing Boras was never going to let HOlliday sign a 5/75 deal despite no other teams being in on the bidding.

[Richie Allen]

From Olney (linking Bernie):

Matt Holliday gets to be where he wants to be, writes Joe Strauss. Bernie Miklasz wonders: Will Holliday hold his value throughout the length of the contract? Heard the same thing that Bernie writes about here: The Cardinals worked out the enormous extension not so much because they were concerned about another team matching their bid, but because Scott Boras has a history of having his clients sign one-year deals (before going back out on the market) rather than signing a long-term deal that didn't meet their expectations. This just happened with Adrian Beltre, who took a one-year deal with Boston rather than signing a three-year deal with Oakland. The bottom line: The Cardinals took a tremendous gamble -- risking their payroll flexibility for years to come in dealing with their pitching and with skill positions like short, second base and center field -- on a player they really, really like. We'll see how it turns out.

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/in ... ney_buster

That's exactly right. Anyone that felt that we were ignorantly bidding against ourselves and could have had him at a fraction of what we ended up paying doesn't have a real grasp of all the other potential outcomes. Or how much we obviously felt we needed this player.

[haltz]

haha luckily we found the magic number where Holliday signs with us forever instead of taking a one-year deal. I can imagine the negotiations.

Mo: How about now?
Boras: Nope
Mo: Now?
Boras: Getting warmer...

If you think he'd rather take a one year deal than a 5/90 offer from the Cardinals, that's nuts.

[Hungary Jack]

Labeling the deal a "tremendous gamble" is absurd. It really is. Holliday's deal is the only contract right now that goes beyond 2012. Obviously, Albert will be next, but this team will have flexibility in dealing with Waino and Carp once the Lohse contract is gone. They will also be in position to increase payroll significantly after 2012, if my hunch about stadium debt is correct.