Logic took a Holliday in this deal
Most trades make sense for both sides in some way. But the Matt Holliday deal from the Colorado Rockies to the Oakland A's defies conventional logic.
The 2007 NL champs just dealt away their best player for Street and Smith (players, not the magazine) a center field prospect who might be decent someday (Carlos Gonzalez). Huston Street was once the A's closer, but hasn't pitched well enough to earn that job back in two seasons. Greg Smith is a run-of-the-mill lefty.
The A's get a great hitter for one year, and then he's a free agent. It would make sense for a team that's one hitter away from being formidable, like the Dodgers or the Indians or the Cardinals. But the A's? Maybe he's the difference between finishing 12 games behind the Angels or 20 games behind the Angels.
And for the Rockies? Let's let Joe Sheehan of Baseball Prospectus sum this dud up:
This was the kind of deal that you make at the trade deadline, when you know you're not signing the player, you know you're not contending, and getting something back is better than losing him for the draft picks. To make this deal on Nov. 10, when you have all offseason to strike a better one, when you can go to Las Vegas next month with a left fielder who plays both ways -- unlike all the free agents -- and find at least half the industry interested, is just a bad move. If this was the best offer available, [Rockies GM] Dan O'Dowd needed to turn it down and pocket his asset. He's dealt away Matt Holliday without getting enough in return, and that's the kind of mistake you just can't make.
Comments
I think Joe Sheehan was a little harsh.
The Rockies get a proven closer and can move Fuentes, if they re-sign him, to a set-up role (or reverse that if Street struggles). If they don’t re-sign Fuentes, then they have a closer.
Smith is a left-hander who can start and EVERYONE needs starting pitching.
The 23 year old LF can either start in Denver or Colorado Springs. Either way, they have him or Ryan Spilborghs that can take Holliday’s place in the OF.
Now, can anyone take the place of Holiday’s bat in the lineup? Probably not, but I don’t think the Rockies are done dealing. We’ll see what happens in Vegas.
As far as Oakland goes, they got a power hitter they can either trade at the 2009 deadline or offer a contract at the end of the ‘09 season. Either way, they will get something in return for him. They will get a lot more at the trade dealine when teams are desperate. Look for him to be dealt then.
So, either way Oakland is very shrewd and will get a lot more for the players they traded to Colorado.