Via MLBTR, I came across this article on Fox Sports by Jon Paul Morosi who surmises that free agent outfielder Matt Holliday is on his way back to the American League.
He specifically cites the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox as the three finalists for Holliday’s services.
Only a handful of teams have the resources and desire to sign Matt Holliday. In that sense, the market for the left fielder’s services is quite small. But it’s plenty big enough for Scott Boras to exploit. And you can bet that Holliday will end up with the contender who offers the most money.
The big-money AL teams will have their sights set on Matt Holliday.
The Yankees, who need a left fielder, are interested.
The Red Sox, who need a left fielder, are interested.
The Angels, who need a power bat, are interested.
So, I fully expect Holliday to play in the American League next season. The highest bidder will determine where. He won’t be back in St. Louis, where he finished this season and seemed so comfortable in the process. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Boras clients — along with most ballplayers and most people in this country — affix their signatures to the biggest offer they can find. It’s very hard to find fault with that.
He’s right you know. Unless the Mets turn out to be the highest bidder, they have no chance of landing the free agent slugger. The Mets already have the deck stacked against them with the perception that CitiField is unkind to power hitters. Of course that isn’t true, but the reality is that it’s the prevailing perception.
Here are some poll results from 1,791 voters who were asked: Where will Matt Holiday end up?
31% Yankees
25% Red Sox
12% Angels
17% Cardinals
15% Somewhere else
Of course the somewhere else includes about a half dozen or more other teams.
I’ve asked this question before, and as the days pass and the rumors and speculation persist, it becomes more and more relevant to Mets fans.
If the Mets fail to get Matt Holliday or Jason Bay, than what will “Plan C” be?
