SI reports Holliday signs with Cards

[KillerB]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/baseball/mlb/01/05/heyman.holliday/index.html

[Fyrebyrd]

He was just on ESPN Radio talking details with Doug Gottlieb

Preliminary Known Terms:
7 years - 120 million
Full No-Trade Clause
Team Option for an 8th year

[SFP]

I believe he'll be worth every penny to that team.

When he was at Oakland he had no one to protect him and now with Pujols there WOW! The guy is also a great club house type of guy. He'll fit in nicely with the community.

[Future Walk-On]

gosh i wanted to be the first to break the news.

i like his personality and the way he spoke about the contract on the radio

[KillerB]

more info on the deal

from the ap

A person familiar with the negotiations says outfielder Matt Holliday and the St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to a $120 million, seven-year contract.
St. Louis announced Tuesday it had reached agreement on a multiyear deal subject to a physical and a formal announcement was likely by Thursday.
The person who discussed the contract terms with The Associated Press spoke on condition of anonymity because the team didn't reveal those details.
Holliday's agreement, which includes a $17 million vesting option for 2017 with a $1 million buyout, is baseball's largest of the offseason. It contains deferred money that lowers its annual present-day value to about $16 million.

[BU_EMT128]

I believe he'll be worth every penny to that team.

When he was at Oakland he had no one to protect him and now with Pujols there WOW! The guy is also a great club house type of guy. He'll fit in nicely with the community.

Not to mention he loved being in St Louis, and the fans loved him. As a cardinals fan, I am very excited about this.

[BU_EMT128]

I just read...

The team holds an option for the 8th year. However, if Holliday finishes in the top 10 of the MVP balloting for year 7, the team is REQUIRED to take the option.

Anyone else think that is the weirdest contract term ever? lol. To me it feels like they were just trying to placate Holliday and Boras. I mean lets be serious, do you think the team would really even take 5 second to consider re-upping Holliday if he finished in the top 10 of the MVP race in year 7?

I can only hope we are "forced" to exercise this option

[houstontxbrave]

Not to mention he loved being in St Louis, and the fans loved him. As a cardinals fan, I am very excited about this.

Now if only he learns to catch balls hit at him in left field and he swings at strikes when he has two strikes and men in scoring position, not to mention doing either or both in the playoffs.

I will be very interested to see how he hits for a full season outside of Colorado. He put on a display after he was traded but after the newness war off he was not a great hitter. I am not convinced he is a top of the line carry a team type of outfielder... and he just signed a contract that requires that type of yearly production.

Wonder how much this ties the Cardinals hands on signing a 3rd baseman. I wouldnt mind seeing Tejada play at 3rd. He can still rake, just cant play SS.

[BUconnorD]

I really like Matt Holliday, and am mad that teh cubs will need to pitch to him multiple times in the season. Great sign for them.

However, aren't the cards pretty well stacked in the OF? Based on former roommate's ranting and ravings, that was one of the primary things. You have plenty of guys that are big hitters and shouldn't be worked in tandom. I feel that Holliday needs consistency to really shine. One of the reasons that he had trouble later in the season.

maybe send somebody up 55 to Chicago and we'll great him with welcoming arms.

good trade by the cardinals, making moves to keep winning the NL Central (yea...no expectations from thsi cub fan haha).

oh man,

just thought of how much its giong to **** having to have to pitch to Ludwick, rasmus, Holliday, etc....in order to avoid pitching to Pujols

[Fyrebyrd]

Actually, after the offseason, the Cardinals were shorthanded on OF w/ experience.

True OF:
Holliday
Ludwick
Rasmus

Guys with outfield experience who play IF:
Schumaker
Lugo

OF lost in FA or in the final months:
Duncan
Ankiel
DeRosa (OF/IF)

So we are really only left with those main three OF's and will pry bring up a back up OF or two. My guesses would be Stavinoha, Shane Robinson, Joe Mather, and Allen Craig for back up OF roles.

[BUconnorD]

Actually, after the offseason, the Cardinals were shorthanded on OF w/ experience.

True OF:
Holliday
Ludwick
Rasmus

Guys with outfield experience who play IF:
Schumaker
Lugo

OF lost in FA or in the final months:
Duncan
Ankiel
DeRosa (OF/IF)

So we are really only left with those main three OF's and will pry bring up a back up OF or two. My guesses would be Stavinoha, Shane Robinson, Joe Mather, and Allen Craig for back up OF roles.

touche

[BU_EMT128]

Now if only he learns to catch balls hit at him in left field and he swings at strikes when he has two strikes and men in scoring position, not to mention doing either or both in the playoffs.

I will be very interested to see how he hits for a full season outside of Colorado. He put on a display after he was traded but after the newness war off he was not a great hitter. I am not convinced he is a top of the line carry a team type of outfielder... and he just signed a contract that requires that type of yearly production.

Wonder how much this ties the Cardinals hands on signing a 3rd baseman. I wouldnt mind seeing Tejada play at 3rd. He can still rake, just cant play SS.

I think his hitting ability is superior to ludwick's, therefore I am very pleased to have him in the 4 hole.

[houstontxbrave]

I think his hitting ability is superior to ludwick's, therefore I am very pleased to have him in the 4 hole.

Great he hits better the Ludwick. He just signed a huge high end all star contract. He will now have pressures he has never experienced and from what I saw after the first few months of his arrival in STL he was not the same hitter.

He is protection but if he does not produce its only protection in name only. Fine he is solid but is he worthy of 120M and more importantly 7 years? Time will tell.

But, I have a feeling this type of contract along with what needs to be thrown at top of the line starters and not to mention AP, I can see Ownership using the cash strapped excuse when it comes to completing other areas of the team.

The young players within that 7 years will have grown up and eventually they will want to be paid also, and if they out perform Holliday wont they want his type of money.

Ill wait and see with Holliday, but what he signed, I expect highend defense, and all star calibar offensive stats yearly. He has no wiggly room for an off season.

[BU_EMT128]

He has no wiggly room for an off season.

I concur on that.

[Beninator]

Imho, Cardinal fans better enjoy this year. They now have two $100 million dollar players on the team with Pujols' at the end of his seven year contract.