If the Tampa Bay Rays continue to pursue their interest in Matt Holliday, reports the Chicago Sun-Times, Carl Crawford would likely be involved.
2008 was Crawford's weakest season in the majors (not including his half-year in the majors in 2002). He did miss over half of August and all but two games in September due to a finger injury. Looking over his career numbers, we know that Crawford is a speedster who will steal plenty of bases with some power in his bat. His 18 homers in 2006 were a career high, but he's more likely to wind up barely in double-digits for that category. However, he doesn't walk all that much (his 37 in 2006 was a career high) and does have his fare share of strikeouts.
Wherever he plays, Crawford will play 2009 on a club option worth $8.25M and 2010 on another club option (if picked up) worth $10M.
Should Crawford be someone the Rockies look into acquiring for Holliday?
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With the Marlins always looking to exile their youngsters when they become too expensive, lefty Scott Olsen is likely to be moved this offseason. There are some temperament issue there and those 59 homers allowed over the last two seasons are a bit worrisome. Going to Texas certainly won't help things for him. A year or two ago may have been the time for the Rockies to trade for him (which was rumored), but now. . . .
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Carl Pavano, a Rockie? If he signed, he'd probably reveal a little while later that he suffered an injury just before signing with the Rockies and didn't disclose it.
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Jhoulys Chacin--in the Rockies' bullpen at some point in 2009? It would seem to fit in with the mini-youth movement that will happen in 2009. It appears to be clearer as the offseason progresses that Dexter Fowler won't be handed anything entering Spring Training: He'll need to work to start in center on Opening Day.
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Matt Holliday gave an exclusive interview to the Denver Post. Here's what he had to say about the Rockies and the commitment to winning:
"I specifically don't want to spend my career collecting paychecks and having October off. I want to be in a situation where I feel like I can make the postseason every year, not only if the perfect storm comes together," Holliday said. "I am not saying Colorado can't do that. But approaching free agency and making decisions about being somewhere long term, you have to consider more than money. The money gets to the point, it's a lot either way."
Yeah, but the only thing guaranteed for Holliday would be the money. I guess we can read in between the lines and figure out what Matt is saying.