SI reports Holliday signs with Cards

[Fyrebyrd]

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.

If you are inferring Pujols will be gone at the end of the year you are wrong. Pujols has atleast one more year as a Cardinal because he has a team option at the end of this year, that we will obviously pick up. I am not even gonna bother going into him being signed by the Yankees or something in two years.

[Beninator]

If you are inferring Pujols will be gone at the end of the year you are wrong. Pujols has atleast one more year as a Cardinal because he has a team option at the end of this year, that we will obviously pick up. I am not even gonna bother going into him being signed by the Yankees or something in two years.

Not inferring that at all. There is no doubt that the Cardinals will break the bank to sign Pujols. But, let's be honest, the Cardinals are a mid-market mlb team. With the big contracts to Holliday and Pujols, what will the have left to offer for pitching etc?

[KillerB]

pros and cons

the pros and cons of the signing from the main stl post-dispatch columnist:

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bernies-extra-points/bernies-extra-points/bernies-5-minutes/2010/01/the-pros-cons-of-the-holliday-signing/

[Fyrebyrd]

I'd like to think the Holliday contract really does not hurt us. When you remove all the dead-weight contracts we had from the books last year, it actually amounts to more than Holliday's contract (Glaus - 12 million, Greene - 6.5 million, Ankiel - 2.85 million). That adds up to just over 21 million. That last 4 million will almost completely cover the arbitration amounts added to Ludwick and Schumaker's contract, plus the Pujols contract price increase - I believe 1 million this year.

So in essence, looking at a glass half-full approach, I'd like to think Holliday's contract will blow away what that money was used for last year. Now it's up to St. Louis to really aid the team with attendance to make sure we can guarantee Pujols step-up in contract money.

[Beninator]

the pros and cons of the signing from the main stl post-dispatch columnist:
http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/ber...liday-signing/

Nice link.. I had not read this ( I am not a Cardinal fan), but points 1 and 4 on why this signing is a problem is where I was coming from.
Point 5 is very valid as well. --little room for error--

It will be very interesting to see how this plays out.

[SFP]

St. Louis is doing all it can do win. If you look what The Mets and The Phillies have done you better look for ways to compete now, unless you are re-building. IMO the Cubs will be a worse team next year and if I was a Cub fan I'd be pissed. You would think a big market team like them could do a lot more. I'm an O's fan and I wish they had the same ownership that St Louis has!

[Beninator]

St. Louis is doing all it can do win. If you look what The Mets and The Phillies have done you better look for ways to compete now, unless you are re-building. IMO the Cubs will be a worse team next year and if I was a Cub fan I'd be pissed. You would think a big market team like them could do a lot more. I'm an O's fan and I wish they had the same ownership that St Louis has!

The Cubs are paying for their signing errors in more ways than one this coming year! I don't mind the signing of Byrd, but as of now, nothing has been done for the bullpen. I read a blog this morning that had some words of advice for the Mariners GM. "Never never never and I repeat never sign Milton Bradley!"

I know what the Cardinals are doing and I am not disparaging them in any way, but imo, pitching wins pennants.

[KillerB]

New Info from AP on Holliday contract

The St. Louis Cardinals will be paying Matt Holliday through 2029 under the $120 million, seven-year contract that is likely to be finalized Thursday.
Holliday will get $17 million a season in salary, but $2 million a year will be deferred without interest, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the sides have not announced financial details of the deal, which was subject to a physical.
Holliday's contract includes a $17 million team option for 2017 with a $1 million buyout, and the Cardinals must decide whether to exercise it within five days of the end of the 2016 World Series. The option would become guaranteed if Holliday finishes among the top 10 in 2016 NL MVP voting.
Depending on whether the option is exercised, Holliday will receive $1.4 million or $1.6 million each July 15 from 2020 until 2029.
He receives a full no-trade provision, a hotel suite on the road and the same award bonus opportunities that Cardinals teammate Albert Pujols has: $50,000 for election to the NL All-Star team, $25,000 for All-Star selection, $50,000 for division series MVP (an award that doesn't yet exist), $100,000 for league championship series MVP, $150,000 for World Series MVP, $200,000 for NL MVP and $50,000 each for Gold Glove and Silver Slugger.
St. Louis was planning a Thursday news conference to finalize the agreement with the three-time All-Star outfielder, which was reached Tuesday.
Dealt to the Cardinals from Oakland in July, Holliday hit .353 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs in 63 games for St. Louis. He turns 30 on Jan. 15.

[BU_EMT128]

I know what the Cardinals are doing and I am not disparaging them in any way, but imo, pitching wins pennants.

And arguably the cardinals have the best 1-2 pitching duo in the national league. As much as i despise the cubs, I want them to do well. It leads to those always fun heated conversations and some good fun at the ballpark come august, but they are wallowing in bad contracts right now, and I feel it will be a few more years before they can start to become a force in the NL central again, provided they dont have an MVP caliber season from anyone on the roster next season (possible, but not likely). D.Lee is up and down, and did not hit as well last year as he has in years past. Big Z is not the pitcher he used to be. I see a mid 60 to mid 70 win total for the cubs next season.

[DeltaBrave03]

The St. Louis Cardinals will be paying Matt Holliday through 2029 under the $120 million, seven-year contract that is likely to be finalized Thursday.
Holliday will get $17 million a season in salary, but $2 million a year will be deferred without interest, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the sides have not announced financial details of the deal, which was subject to a physical.
Holliday's contract includes a $17 million team option for 2017 with a $1 million buyout, and the Cardinals must decide whether to exercise it within five days of the end of the 2016 World Series. The option would become guaranteed if Holliday finishes among the top 10 in 2016 NL MVP voting.
Depending on whether the option is exercised, Holliday will receive $1.4 million or $1.6 million each July 15 from 2020 until 2029.
He receives a full no-trade provision, a hotel suite on the road and the same award bonus opportunities that Cardinals teammate Albert Pujols has: $50,000 for election to the NL All-Star team, $25,000 for All-Star selection, $50,000 for division series MVP (an award that doesn't yet exist), $100,000 for league championship series MVP, $150,000 for World Series MVP, $200,000 for NL MVP and $50,000 each for Gold Glove and Silver Slugger.
St. Louis was planning a Thursday news conference to finalize the agreement with the three-time All-Star outfielder, which was reached Tuesday.
Dealt to the Cardinals from Oakland in July, Holliday hit .353 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs in 63 games for St. Louis. He turns 30 on Jan. 15.

Anybody know if this is common for large contracts? Seems kind of petty to me and a slap in the face to teammates. Maybe its a Boras thing.

[Fyrebyrd]

Yes, it's extremely common. Both Pujols and Carp's current contracts have similar wording. Pujols new contract will hold the same too. It's rather smart. In the short term, it frees up more money for the team. In the long term, 1.5 million will not be worth 1.5 million ten years from now, especially with no interest.

[DUBrave5]

Yes, it's extremely common. Both Pujols and Carp's current contracts have similar wording. Pujols new contract will hold the same too. It's rather smart. In the short term, it frees up more money for the team. In the long term, 1.5 million will not be worth 1.5 million ten years from now, especially with no interest.

I think he was referring to the Hotel Suite for road games since that was what he bolded and underlined.

Also for those who are wondering, apparently Holliday just switched his number to 7 so if you are planning on buying a jersey, make sure you get the right number

[BU_EMT128]

I think he was referring to the Hotel Suite for road games since that was what he bolded and underlined.

Also for those who are wondering, apparently Holliday just switched his number to 7 so if you are planning on buying a jersey, make sure you get the right number

Hence why i told myself I would wait until we resigned him before i bought my jersey... lol

[SFP]

I know what the Cardinals are doing and I am not disparaging them in any way, but imo, pitching wins pennants.

But you need great hitting to make it to the WS and win it! I can say San Diego and SF had great starting pitching and look where they landed. I love pitching and believe you cannot get enough of it but great hitting can hit great pitching. The Cards had enough arms last year to win it but where they failed in the playoffs was the lack of runs. I'm not a Cards fan but I can appreciate a well run organization.