Sox explored Holliday deal

Look up Holliday's numbers over the last 162....very different away from Coors. Holliday is fool's gold. Watch his numbers in Oakland before he gets dealt in July. Sox are better off with Bay and getting another bat or two . Don't get fooled by Holliday's numbers...average fielder at best, poor clutch AWAY from Coors. LOOK IT UP !!!

The Rox got a closer who lost his closing job and has a bad elbow, a young speedster who can't hit yet, and a 5th starter. So no, I don't think the Sox would have given up Ellsbury, Masterson, Buchholz, etc.

Tony Mazz must be on suicide watch after this trade!
Cheer up Tony. There's always next year, when he becomes a free agent.
At least everyone will have a chance to gage his hitting outside of Coors Field.

Oakland better get a lot at the 2009 trading deadline because they gave up a boatload, even if you believe that Street is injured...

No doubt, Theo looked closely and saw that Holliday is a so-so hitter once he leaves the confines of Coors Field. Besides, the Sox have their share of good outfielders, who can hit.

More importantly, Theo needs to deal with the Veritek issue and sign another quality middle inning reliever, or two.

He could still end up in Boston in 2010. Watching him in Oakland will tell us if Holliday's numbers are only so good because of Coors. It may come down to signing Bay or Holliday for 2010. Not a bad choice.

Why does this always get out after the fact? Don't get me wrong. I am no fan of acquiring holliday, but what's this? I don't care about the fact they "tried". I am more interested in the nitty-gritty thought process that management went through.

I am interested in the real scoop not yesterday night's leftovers nor scandals that the front office want us to know because they felt "it's time".

Thanks for this Nick, although I am sure you would agree that, even though the Sox theoretically have the resources to sign Holliday long term, Boras would've never negotiated a deal without taking him to free agency first. Given that there would be no 72 hour window to get such a deal before the trade was finalized, and given that, at least for a year, Jason Bay projects to give the Sox the same production, seems like it would've been a waste of prospects for a guy you can buy in a year. Or who will be a Yankee by next Christmas, if not sooner.

This is interesting, is he "Coors field inflated" or the real deal?, I see mid season, 2009, the A's flip him for the highest bidder. At this time contending teams know for sure, because Oakland ain't Colorado. I like this scenario. If we need a bopper, we'll know, truly, what he is capable of, with out having to risk the prospects now. If he is the real deal, which I suspect he is not, then no problems forking over Bucholtz, Bowden, or even Masterson. Although A's are resilient and savvey enough, to just go out and be damn good enough to keep him, and get to the playoffs to boot. I just want to know if he could be the next dominant, right handed power hitter to patrol lf, cause if he is, no way Oakland keeps him, and we want him.

Initial reaction is that the A's are spinning their wheels here. However, upon further review, they had to do something. Last year, that A's lineup had five of the top twelve worst batting averages for players with 400+ at bats: Barton .214, Hannahan .216, Cust .228, Ellis .233 and Crosby .242. They occupied the 1, 2, 5, 7 and 12th spots respectively. Adding Holliday should help that situation, howevevr, they better get him some help or he will see zero pitches to hit. If more offensive help comes, they just may contend, if not then Holliday becomes "the prize" next July and the A's will garner a windfall of young talent, again. Best case, they contend, Holliday walks and the A's get a #1 and supplemental the following June. Not bad Billy.

If the redsox are smart they will not deal Jacoby Ellsbury. Why deal him when you know that he still is a young player with a lot of talent? If anything, they should deal Coco Crisp. Even though Coco had a solid postseason, Ellsbury was a little bit more consistent at the plate, and he made some outstanding plays in centerfield.

Did the Sox want to go with a four outfielder alignment? We could do that when nobody on base and not have a catcher. Just let the pitches bounce off the ump. If the Sox get say "Salty" and Tek signs elsewhere, do the Sox get draft picks? #1 priority =catcher, #2 good lefty starter, off-season done....Keep Lowery and young arms...forget Texiera and spend on Youk, etc...

Did the Sox want to go with a four outfielder alignment? We could do that when nobody on base and not have a catcher. Just let the pitches bounce off the ump. If the Sox get say "Salty" and Tek signs elsewhere, do the Sox get draft picks? #1 priority =catcher, #2 good lefty starter, off-season done....Keep Lowery and young arms...forget Texiera and spend on Youk, etc...

Fool's good away from Coors, give me a break...Holliday hit over .300 on the road playing most his road games in the hitter's nightmares of San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles. You wanna talk about some inflated stats because of a joke of a home ballpark, take a look at Pedroia and Youkilis when they leave the little league field known as Fenway Park

"Inflated States?" Pedroias numbers are not bad away from [the little league field, as you call it] a little more power, which is a little surprising, if a bit lower average/OBP. 10 HR away, 8 at home, .309 BA away, .344 BA at home, 40 RBI Away, 43 at home, in fact he had more SO and fewer walks at home then on the road. Youkilis is a little inflated at home over away, but I would expect a playre to play better at home in general, though it would be nice if youk could work on his bat skills away from the Park. Holliday suffers about the same decline away from the rockies as Youk has away from fenway. It could be the "home field advantage syndrome," only time will tell, as he gets used to the new park.