ESPN has been critical of the Cardinals' reported offer to Matt Holliday. The gripe is that the eight-year-deal is too risky and that the Cardinals are over-paying.





Like I said ina previous post, I think it is unlikely Holliday will play out the length of the deal because of opt out clauses. And, hopefully, the team can get some insurance against injury. It sounds, to me, like a creative way to get the job done.





While the Yankees are considered to be the biggest threat to trying to lure Holliday away from St. Louis, the Boston media reports that the Pinstripers have actually been more interested in Jason Bay as of late and have contacted his representatives while laying low on Holliday.





Reports are that all the talk about wanting to play in New York was posturing from Holliday's camp and that he really wants to play for the Cardinals. If that is the case, and if the deal the Birds are offering includes opt outs, the Yankees should really have to blow away St. Louis' $128-million offer in order to land him. (Mark Teixeira money?)





Why would Holliday choose an opt out deal with the Yankees over St. Louis. If he burns a bridge with the biggest spending club is baseball, the odds he greatly improves his contract by opting out are considerably lessened. The smart move would be to play three years in St. Louis and hit about .335 with 40 homers a season and then opt out and hope the Yankees give him $20 million or more per season.