Matt Holliday Prepared to Leave Oakland

Since the beginning of the season, it's been pretty common knowledge that the Oakland A's were only going to have Matt Holliday for a maximum of one season. The A's are a small-market team that keeps to a certain budget. They've let Miguel Tejada, Jason Giambi and a bevy of other high-profile players leave town due to their rising contract values. With Holliday being a free agent at the conclusion of the season, he's obviously a one-year rental unless they decide to move him sooner.

In an interview with Sirius XM's "The Show" on Tuesday, Holliday seemed perfectly at ease with this inevitability. In fact, he seemed like he wanted to be traded before the deadline.

"I would assume that being a smaller-market team that is into developing young players currently, that they will probably either trade me at some point or take their [compensatory] draft picks [for losing a Type A free agent] at the end of the year."

The obvious follow-up question -- Do you want to be traded? -- was met with the equally-obvious political tight-rope act.

"I'd like for this to work out. I've had a great time with my teammates and have really appreciated the way this organization has treated me in this first couple of months. The guys have been great, and I see a lot of potential in this team, but we obviously aren't playing very well.

"We got off to a rough start and we've had some injuries and find ourselves 10 or 11 games back in the race. So I would say if it looks like we're not going to be able to get back into the race or get healthy, I think every player wants a chance to win, and I'm no exception. I'd love to play in the postseason again. That was the time of my life in baseball ... getting a chance to play in the postseason in 2007.

"So if it looks like we're not going to be able to make it to the postseason and they can get some good players for me, I'd be OK with getting a chance to go try to make it to the postseason and play in October."

"I'm very appreciative of Oakland, how they have treated me and my family. And the guys on the team have been fantastic, and I've really made some good friends. So that's a tough one. That's something that's out of my control, so I don't necessarily have to make that decision. So I'll just try to take it a day at a time and work hard and try to play well."

Well played, Mr. Holliday. I love a good trip walking around in circles while a player is trying his best to not offend anyone. You really have to respect how difficult it is to try and be honest while also not sounding like a jerk. Whoever taught him how to do so did a nice job.

As for what the A's will do? I don't think there's any question they'll test the market, as we mentioned yesterday in Roto Rush. The Reds, if they decide to pony up the prospects and go for broke this season, would be a great fit, but that's pure speculation right now.