The newest member of the Yankees’ lineup, outfielder/designated hitter Matt Holliday, clearly didn’t enjoy his 93-game stint with the Athletics in 2009. Included in the one-year, $13MM deal Holliday signed with New York is the ability to block a trade to one team – the A’s – tweets Chris Cotillo of SB Nation. Acquiring Holliday from the Rockies in November 2008 cost the A’s reliever Huston Street and, more painfully, outfielder Carlos Gonzalez. Former big-time first base prospect Brett Wallace headlined the package the A’s received from St. Louis for Holliday in July 2009, but Wallace never played a game for Oakland. The A’s dealt him to Toronto for now-former big league outfielder Michael Taylor (not to be confused with the member of the Nationals) the next offseason.
More from the American League:
- One of Holliday’s new teammates, closer Aroldis Chapman, also has a unique no-trade clause in the record-breaking contract he signed with the Yankees on Wednesday. Chapman can block a deal to Oakland and all other West Coast-based teams (Twitter link), and he explained his reasoning to ESPN’s Marly Rivera. “I just didn’t want to go that far from my family. I did have the opportunity to stay here near my house (in Florida, playing with the Miami Marlins) but no, I leaned more towards (going to) New York,” said Chapman.
- The Royals have expressed interest in free agent reliever Greg Holland, per FanRag’s Jon Heyman, who adds that he’ll likely end up out of their price range (Twitter link). Of course, the Royals organization is the only one Holland has been a member of to this point. A 10th-round pick in 2007, Holland made his major league debut in 2010 and soon turned into one of the majors’ premier relievers. Unfortunately, the two-time All-Star underwent Tommy John surgery in October 2015 – shortly before the Royals won their first World Series since 1985 – and missed their playoff run that year and all of last season as a result.
- In their discussions that led to the Chris Sale trade, the White Sox pressed the Red Sox to include top third base prospect Rafael Devers in a potential package, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link). Unwilling to move Devers, Boston compromised by including both right-hander Victor Diaz and outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe. The 20-year-old Devers is MLB.com’s 20th-ranked prospect, while Baseball America placed him 41st on its midseason list.
Wouldn’t want Holliday back. Couldn’t stand the guy. He didn’t care when he was in Oakland. Minimal effort.
That’s because Oakland is a disgrace to baseball
And why is that?
Um, horrible roster, cheap owner, zero commitment to winning, tendency to trading their best players every year, etc.
So they are the AAA team of MLB every other team should love that
To name just a few!
So the years 2012-2014 never happened, huh?
Lmao
Yea but you wouldn’t love that as a player
Can a team have a clause of not trading for a player? Holiday would be the one for the A’s. The guy pouted like a baby girl his time in Oakland. Didn’t even hustle to first on ground balls. Was slow getting to balls in the outfield. Still a big baby about about it by putting it in his contract. Just watch Yank fans will see the same thing with him.
Gee that sounds like Tampa and Baltimore also…
Watch your damn mouth…more playoff appearances in the 21st century then whatever Chicago team you’re for.
Did they win a World Series with Billy Beane? No and never will!!!! Joke franchise
Best team in baseball from 2012-2014
Seconded
Tampa needs a new sandbox really really bad, and that’s why they have the worst attendance in baseball…Balt totally different story, have one of the nicest parks in baseball, just have an owner that’s about money only and the kicker is they get about three quarters of the Nats TV money, they seriously need to run Mr PeterA out of town. To top it all I’m not even a Balt fan…he has simple killed this franchise
Baltimore’s stadium sucks.
Right… the mentality of a bum AAA team, which is why an established veteran talent wants to avoid them like the plague. Winners and competitors want to be in a position to do just that… Win.
The A’s have the 3rd most titles in MLB history. Go sit back down at the little kids table.
And how many of which were in Philadelphia.
Speaking of which: Connie Mack did something of the same thing with his A’s clubs. He’d contend for a while then sell off the best players.
There was a guy with the proverbial ham and bread who’d cry for mustard.
I’m an A’s fan, but this is a dumb argument. How many titles have the A’s won since any of these players have been alive? Army football was a jaugernot is the first part of the 1900’s but I don’t think that sales pitch is bringing in any top college recruits.
“History is dumb” – rycm131
If you are an A’s fan, you aren’t a good one. Please stop posting.
Can I thumbs up this somehow?
Royals were nothing more than a 4A team a couple years ago. They were able to bring veterans in to help the young guys and look how good that worked for them…..just sayin
Holliday always looks like he is giving minimal effort.
What he does is give you professionalism and production. He never shows emotions or effort though. He puts his head down and does his job. And that’s really it.
how is minimal effort professionalism? Holiday is just another uppity player imo.
I agree!
Saw an article somewhere that devers might have been in place of Kopech, but can’t see Kopech, Moncada and Devers all 3 going.
Basabe jr (how I remember the one went in this deal) way will always remember is over hearing GCL Sox coach Dave Strom lay into him for not hustling 2y ago and not wanting it as much as his twin brother (traded to AZ in Ziegler deal).
dave is a likeable fellow, but he was tearing basabe a new one at this time. i leaned over the dugout to see what was going on and joked with him as it happened.. less than 50 fans per game at those things (GCL games) and go down to Ft Myers several times each season to see the kids, say hello.
Strom is a motivator.
How many top prospects does Boston need? You guys are some tight bastards. lol
Lol
I agree.if rick hahn had a pair like he told the media that he didnt have to trade sale because of team control for 3 more years and not getting proper value. I wouldve negotiated like he did except he came down asking price too low. He said no major league guys only prospects for the best picther in the american league with 3 years left for cheap.. Here is where i settle, moncada,devers,kopech, and benintendi. you give me that you have sale. dont give me well? you know? He leaked it out there what nats were offering to tell boston and other teams. you dont come down form that. Now thank god he got what he got for eaton., but i wouldve told nats keep giolito and give me robles.
You probably saw it on this site since it was posted an hour before you wrote this post.
Thanks Matt Holliday for your hard work, your dedication to the Cardinals, and the leadership you provided. You will always be a St. Louis Cardinal, wherever you may be playing in the future!!!!
Has anyone seen or heard for the Cardinals General Manager at any time during the winter meetings??? Did he even go???????
How could you give Car-Go and Street for Holliday ???
I guess the same way we got Donaldson for Lawrie, Nolin, Barreto, Graveman !!!
Lol at Oakland fans getting butt hurt. if you wouldn’t want him back, why be upset that he wanted that in his NTC
Because we’re rebuilding this year and he signed a 1 year deal, why single us out? After how he acted here there’s no way we’d bring him back anyways. Seems petty
Because he’s the first player ever to have a 1-team NTC – why wouldn’t it be taken personal?
He a big head joke
Keeping Devers is huge for Boston. 3rd base is the one position where they aren’t set for the next few years (I have little confidence in Panda), so he is the one prospect they really needed to hold on to.
Oakland should have Donaldson and Russell covering that side of the infield. #’s 2 and 3 hitters in the line up. That would get me interested in going to games live. Would be set for years. What a major screw up. Unforgivable.
Stop it you’re making me depressed.
Shame the White Sox could not get a 3b prospect. Aside from Davidson the Sox are desperate for one. More to follow in terms of trades for the Sox Im sure, but they really need to focus on getting some position players in these later trades.
Moncada was working at 3B for much of the second half last year. I imagine the White Sox will keep him there.
Funny how Billy Beane has such a good reputation with all of the mistakes he has made with high profile trades, and if the Red Sox gave up Devers in addition to Kopech and Moncada that would have been a steal for the White Sox.
I’ll tell you why he insisted on the NTC with Oakland. I went to the St. Louis game in Oakland last year, as did many others, for one reason only. To boo the crap out of this guy. Everyone did, every time he came to the plate that whole series (and he came to the plate a lot because he can’t play the field anymore and could DH). I don’t care what he did in STL, or Colorado. When he was in Oakland, he was welcomed as a savior and performed like a bum. As stated by many above, he didn’t run out ground balls, played crappy defense and groused the whole time he was here. Can’t wait to boo this clown again when NY comes to town this year.
And the Oakland haters on this thread don’t know jack about baseball. Any of your teams ever have a winning season where they didn’t spend $150M on the payroll? Didn’t think so.