Holliday to the…..A’s?  huh?
 
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/11/10/heyman.holliday/index.html?eref=sircrc

he just added the Angels and Yankees to the list, so I would imagine, being the World Champions and all, we might be able to get our way on there. Unless he hates CBP, which is possible.

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has his men in place for the future.
From the Phillies:
Benny Looper is a new assistant general manager in charge of player personnel. Looper will oversee the scouting and player development areas. Looper, 60, had spent the previous 23 years with the Seattle Mariners in various capacities at the major and minor league levels, including most recently vice president of player personnel (2006-08), VP of player development & scouting (2003-06) and VP of player development (2002-03). Looper spent five seasons as a player in the St. Louis Cardinals’ minor league system. He is the uncle of major league pitcher Braden Looper.
Chuck LaMar was promoted to assistant general manager, player development & scouting. While his main duty will be to manage the player development department, he will also cross-check at the amateur and professional levels. LaMar, 52, joined the Phillies in October of 2007 and spent the past year as the director of professional scouting. Prior to joining the Phillies, LaMar spent a year with the Washington Nationals as special assistant to the general manager and national cross-checker (2007) and 10 years as the general manager of the Tampa Bay Rays (1995-2006).
Mike Ondo has been promoted to pro scouting coordinator. Since joining the Phillies in 1998, Ondo, 33, has worked in the Baseball Operations department, primarily in scouting & player development. He spent the last two years as assistant director, minor leagues, while also assisting the major league coaching staff on scouting reports and statistical analysis.
Dallas Green (senior advisor to the GM), Charley Kerfeld (special assistant to the GM), Gordon Lakey (director, major league scouting), Steve Noworyta (director, minor league operations) and Marti Wolever (director, scouting) are all remaining with the organization.

As previously announced, former GM Pat Gillick will also remain with the club as an advisor to Amaro and club president David Montgomery.
Kind of confusing, no?  Seems like a lot of overlap.  I wonder who reports to whom?  Looper must be a Gillick find.  Anyway, I hope we’ve filled the Arbuckle void and we’re good going forward.

yeah, it seems like its down to the Cubs and Braves. But looking at the packages, we would at least put together a competitive offer. especially if they braves aren’t biting on giving up some top guys.

bball-

the price for holliday will probably come down. but there is NO WAY Boras lets him sign before hitting the open market, and the only way we re-sign him is if we either decide Howard is gone or he plays poorly enough we can get him at a discount.

I, like you, would feel differently if we were able to sign Holliday for a few years up front but, considering he is a Boras client, that is unlikely.  Not having his players test the free agent market is anathema to him.

From the Rockies point of view now they HAVE to get something for him so don’t lose him for draft picks.  I think they’d be happy with Carrasco and a few average double A guys.  I don’t think they are in a position to ask for much more and if they do ask for more then we shouldn’t do it. 

Note: I wouldn’t do the deal unless we had a contract in place with Holliday for at least 3 years.

Note #2: I’m not as high on Carrasco as a lot of other people because I think he has control issues.  I saw him in Double A last year and he got rocked.  He walked at least 5 guys and gave up homeruns once he had to come over the plate.  Granted it’s only one start but he is far from a sure thing as with any other prospect.  Guys like Jamie Moyer and Maddux prove that control is more important than great stuff.  Vicente Padillia always had great stuff and look where that got him.