CHICAGO -- Matt Holliday's performance in Oakland last year might have given some American League general managers a reason to be reluctant before ponying up the big bucks for him, but Scott Boras is ready with the answers.Of course, Holliday's agent has to take that approach, because the two biggest suitors on the market -- the Yankees and Red Sox -- play in the American League.
Boras said the slow start had less to do with Oakland or the American League than it did with Holliday's own swing.
"Really, it was about Matt's hitting mechanics," Boras said. "He made some adjustments in the offseason. After about the first five weeks of the season, he went back to his normal stance. If you look at numbers from that point on, his slugging and OPS was at the same level he was at in the National League."
Sure enough, starting on May 5, Holliday hit .330 with 22 homers and a .961 OPS over his final 134 games, a stretch was just about evenly split between the A's and Cardinals. (By the way, it should be noted here that one of the sources of Holliday's revamped swing last winter was Mark McGwire, who was recently hired as the Cardinals' hitting coach.)
Boras used the phrase "franchise player" repeatedly in describing Holliday, comparing him to Mark Teixeira, who signed last year for $180 million, and practically said the Yankees got a bargain with the Teixeira deal.
"Last year we had one club that went and made a commitment to a franchise player and they won a world championship," Boras said. "They had an infrastructure and made the right decision and it turned out to be the right decision baseball-wise and economically. I think Matt Hollliday is another player like that in this marketplace."
What Boras didn't say is that Teixeira had proven himself in both leagues, is a premium defensive player at a more important position and is a switch-hitter.Boras said he's been meeting with as many teams as possible during the GM Meetings in Chicago. The Cardinals, the only team that can talk dollars with Holliday before Nov. 20, have been one of them. Boras wouldn't close the door on a return to St. Louis. He said that realistically, if there turn out to be five serious bidders for Holliday, that would be a good number.
When asked what Holliday wants out of a team, other than the most money, Boras said he wants to play for a winner.
"If you talk about these long-term contracts, you don't want to get stuck in a place where you can't win annually," Boras said. "That's an important part for a free agent that's a franchise player. You want to make sure the owner is not only committed today, but committed longt-erm."
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Oh, silly me... I was looking at his actual stats. Why look at real proof when Boras can tell us what the truth is...
The truth is that he stunk in the AL... too bad he didn't stay there the entire season to prove his point. He came, he sucked, he left ASAP. I wouldn't gamble $180 million to find out if Boras is right.
Still hungry for money Scott Boras. Why don't you find and bring in Osama Bin Laden. I hear there's a $300 million dollar reward. You don't even have to lie like you do about your clients ability. Just go out and get him dead or alive and you'll get your $300 million. We want to see the body though. It's not that we don't trust you. Okay, it is that we don't trust you.
I'M SORRY.
WITH ECONOMY IN CRAPPER, YOUR TALKING ABOUT 180MILLION TO PLAYER WHO STUNK .
NOT ALL YEAR, BUT MOST.PEOPLE WHO ARE READING ARTICAL, EVENTUALLY WILL PUT STOP TO OVERPRICED UNDER ACHIEVERS.HOW?. BY NOT GOING TO GAME THATS HOW. AS FOR COMMISSIONER, YOUR OVER PAID TOO. WHEN YOU GONNA GROW SOME BALLS AND TAKE OUT ALL THESE ROID FREAKS.