Yankees Sign Matt Holliday

[Wingack]

Looks like for $13 million.

 

[Murderer's Crow]

I love this deal in the current market. Flexibility long-term and strong offense for 120 games.

 

[E5 Yaz]

Was the Cardinals reluctance based of his ability to play in the field?

 

[soxhop411]

I assume this takes them out of contention for EE?

Which teams are left for him? it seems like he went from having multiple suitors to having almost none

 

[Wingack]

I assume this takes them out of contention for EE?

Which teams are left for him? it seems like he went from having multiple suitors to having almost none

I don't think they were ever suitors for him.

 

[jon abbey]

They were mentioned for him, but I don't think NY was ever realistically going to sign someone this winter who caused them to lose their #1 pick.

I have to research the Holliday signing a bit more, but NY continues to add RH hitters, surprising given their home field but they are sick of shifts turning LHH into .220 hitters, I guess.

 

[Wingack]

He slashed .297/.363/554 on the road last year.

The obvious hope is that he kills it for the first have of the year and they are able to deal him at the break.

 

[Murderer's Crow]

He slashed .297/.363/554 on the road last year.

The obvious hope is that he kills it for the first have of the year and they are able to deal him at the break.

That's going to continue to be the expectation until the team is a real contender.

 

[jon abbey]

This puts Tyler Austin's roster spot in a bit of danger, if Bird and Holliday are both healthy, it might make sense to go with a 5th OF like Mason Williams over Austin.

 

[Time to Mo Vaughn]

He'll be 37 in January. I actually thought he would have been a year or two older, feels like he's been around forever or at least missing 50-60 games/season the last 5 years or so.

 

[Murderer's Crow]

This puts Tyler Austin's roster spot in a bit of danger, if Bird and Holliday are both healthy, it might make sense to go with a 5th OF like Mason Williams over Austin.

Really? I think it puts Gardner in a bit of danger, who I already thought was a possible trade candidate.

 

[Montana Fan]

He always knocked the shit out of the ball at Fenway.

 

[jon abbey]

Really? I think it puts Gardner in a bit of danger, who I already thought was a possible trade candidate.

You don't want Holliday playing the big LF in Yankee Stadium, I don't think. Gardner still could go, certainly.

 

[jon abbey]

Some great stats for Holliday, for one his BABIP was way down this year even though he was hitting the ball really hard, so NY presumably thinks he's due for a bounceback there. And this one is pretty cool:

"Two hitters had an exit velocity of 95mph or better and struck out in fewer than 20% of their plate appearances: Miguel Cabrera and Matt Holliday."

 

[jon abbey]

All 20 of his 2016 HRs would have gone out of Yankee Stadium, surprising to see how many are to RF:

 

[j-man]

guy is Inj-prone now if is pre 2014 holiday then good move if not hope its a 1 year deal

 

[Murderer's Crow]

His injuries are the obvious concern but I don't think the thumb is going to a problem moving forward.

 

[ThePrideofShiner]

Seems like a great deal, especially the flexibility a one-year deal offers.

I wonder if they targeted him over Beltran because he can play first base.

 

[moondog80]

I don't understand why they would do this instead of giving and extra (meaningless, to them) 3 mil to Beltran.

 

[Murderer's Crow]

I don't understand why they would do this instead of giving and extra (meaningless, to them) 3 mil to Beltran.

No trade & regression risk probably.

 

[moondog80]

No trade & regression risk probably.

Forgot about the no trade. You're probably right.

 

[jon abbey]

MLB leaders in average exit velocity for 2016 (minimum 100 balls in play):

Nelson Cruz 95.9
Giancarlo Stanton 95.1
Matt Holliday 94.7
Miguel Cabrera 94.5
David Ortiz 94.2

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/statcast_leaderboard?year=2016&abs=100&player_type=batter

 

[jon abbey]

Best piece I've read on this signing so far:

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/yankees-bet-on-resurgent-matt-holliday/

 

[jon abbey]

Hahaha, he has a one team no trade clause, he can be dealt anywhere except Oakland, where he played for part of 2009. If that isn't a very specific 'fuck you', I don't know what is.