Holliday's stock, questions on rise

Success leads to speculation, complicating his 'simple life'

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Published July 14, 2008 at 9:41 p.m.
Updated July 15, 2008 at 9:53 a.m.

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Doug Pensinger © Getty

Rockies outfielder Matt Holliday is scheduled to start in right field in the All-Star Game.

Rockies outfielder Matt Holliday battles every day to live a simple life.

It's a losing battle.

Holliday has attained star status in the athletic world. He tries to deal with it, but it isn't easy for the Pennsylvania-born, Oklahoma-raised Holliday.

Right now, however, the spotlight is shining brighter than ever on Holliday, and his stock continues to climb. He is making his third consecutive All-Star Game appearance tonight, in the starting lineup for the first time.

He's batting sixth and playing right field, a position he hasn't played in the big leagues but is going to play for the third time in the All-Star Game.

Yet his future has become a growing question.

He is signed with the Rockies through 2009, but free agency looms after that. And as his success increases, so does the amount it might take to sign him.

There have been conversations about a long-term commitment to Holliday by the Rockies, but nothing serious, which has led to speculation about his availability on the trade market.

Will today be his final All-Star Game in a Rockies uniform?

Could it be his final game of any type in a Rockies uniform?

Could he be dealt, instead, in the offseason, or sometime next year?

Or will he eventually put the concerns of fans to rest and sign a long-term deal to stay with the Rockies?

"I wish (the questions) would all go away," Holliday admitted. "I try to keep my life simple."

Focusing on present

Teams that have approached the Rockies about Holliday's availability have said the asking price is steep - a position player and pitcher who would help at the big-league level right now and a top prospect.

Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd and ownership have been adamant that finances are not an issue and that Holliday's salaries - $9.5 million for 2008 and $13.5 million for 2009 - fit easily into the team's payroll structure.

Holliday, for his part, continues to deflect questions about his future with the Rockies, who signed him as a seventh- round draft choice in 1998.

At the time, the Rockies gave him the biggest signing bonus ever for a player taken in that round and then, three years later, gave him another $1 million deal to keep him from giving up baseball to play college football.

"The focus is today," Holliday said Monday. "Nothing is guaranteed for any of us from day to day. It's always a possibility this could be our last day so we need to appreciate the opportunity to do what we can do today. I appreciate the opportunity to play baseball. I am careful not to feel I am entitled."

His potential free-agent status after the 2009 season is a hot topic among Rockies fans, who are dealing with the emotions of the moment. The Rockies have indicated they are reluctant to discuss more than $20 million a year and don't envision more than a five-year guarantee.

Agent Scott Boras, meanwhile, has talked in terms of Holliday being "a marquee player" and mentioned Alex Rodriguez in talking about Holliday's potential. That comparison has created speculation the expectation in negotiations could be as much as a 10-year deal and that $20 million annually won't be nearly enough to get an agreement.

"I know the money is 'silly' money," Holliday said. "The tough thing is going to be how to put it all in context. . . . You face tough decisions your whole life. That's part of the deal. People who work 9-to-5 jobs face tough decisions. It's not just athletes."

Confidence grows

One thing that is pretty obvious: Holliday is among the elite in his profession. In players' balloting for the All-Star team a year ago, he was the No. 1 vote-getter overall, and this year he was put in the NL starting lineup when Alfonso Soriano was scratched because he had the most players' votes of NL outfielders not voted in by the fans.

"The Lord blessed me with talent and I want to take advantage of the gift," Holliday said. "I work hard to get better and maximize what I am capable of doing. To have players feel that way about me is special. As a player, you watch your peers, and to have them admire how you play the game is a strong statement."

This is, after all, the culmination of a long-term dream for Holliday, who had enough potential in football that he was ranked among the top three quarterbacks in the country when he came out of high school.

Three years later, after he had been statistically so-so in the minor leagues, he was approached by the University of Tennessee and Miami about giving up baseball and pursuing football.

"I think they had seen players like (Chris) Weinke give up and go back to college to play football so they were keeping a close eye on guys who might do the same thing, who might feel that baseball wasn't working out," he said. "It was nice to have them feel I had ability (in football), but I wanted to see baseball out.

"I thought I had made progress, and to suddenly go a different direction didn't make sense."

Nobody is questioning Holliday's choice now. In the past three years, the potential had turned into reality. A year ago, he led the NL in hitting and RBI, finished fourth in home runs and was runner-up to Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins in NL Most Valuable Player voting.

He has reached the point where "I come to the field every day feeling I have a chance to do well. That allows confidence to grow."

And it has led to ongoing questions about his long-range plans, which he guards against becoming an ongoing debate.

"I play baseball and I go home and am a husband," he said. "Whatever I do I have to take my wife and two children into consideration. It's not just about me."

• July 15, 2008

  1:07 a.m.

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  RDenver writes:

  Scott Boras is going to want to get Holliday a $160 million contract at 8 years at $20 million per year. Ridiculous, but he will get it from another big market like New York or Boston. No way can the Rockies pay him that. Nor should they. Been nice watching you play here, Matt. Enjoy the East Coast and try not to fall flat on your face. Would be hilarious though that a year after you leave, the Rockies make a run at the pennant and the Mets/Yankees/Red Sox don't.
  But, we can only hope!

• July 15, 2008

  7:13 a.m.

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  joeblow writes:

  No one is going to complain about Holliday's $200 million dollar contract when gasoline---someday soon---costs $50 a gallon. Whoooooo! Bush in '08!!!

• July 15, 2008

  7:28 a.m.

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  Keno33 writes:

  At some point there has to be more then the money. Matt can be as big as Elway here if he wants that. Joining a big market team he will be lost in the crowd. He should also consider the quality of life his family has here. Come'on Matt show us your more then another Arod! Make a deal, stay in Colorado, and be bigger then Elway!!!

• July 15, 2008

  8:20 a.m.

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  zebra9182 writes:

  I don't pretend to know Matt Holliday, but I have heard a lot about his character and his faith. With this in mind, I would appeal to him to consider what God has given him through the Rockies organization, equating to much more than money. I keep hearing professional athletes talking about "what the market will bear", but at some point, relationships and relevance have to come into play. It will be very disappointing if a man of faith and conviction is shown to follow greed like so many others, casting aside a community and an organization that has shown so much belief in him.

• July 15, 2008

  8:23 a.m.

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  newshound writes:

  yes joeblow, Bush is responsible for the gas prices. Let's not blame OPEC and other countries with a strangle hold on the rest of the world.

  Holiday will leave for 2 reasons: bigger paycheck and a better chance to win. He has been the star on this team for years and they have gotten nowhere. Except for the run last year to the World Series, the Rockies have been a .500 team his whole career. At some point, the front office has to step up and put together a team that contends. The NL West doesn't have a team over .500 right now, and the Rockies are 8.5 back. It's pathetic

• July 15, 2008

  8:24 a.m.

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  NativeDenver writes:

  I would think the bigger concern would be whether O'Dowd will keep Holliday here long enough for contract renewal even to be an issue. If the Rockies trade Holliday, it will prove one of two things: that they aren't serious about building a long-term, successful franchise, or that O'Dowd doesn't have the ability to build a long-term, successful franchise.

• July 15, 2008

  8:59 a.m.

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  RealifeTauren writes:

  The Rockies are not, and will never be, a marquee team. It will become about what gives Matt the chance to win a World Championship, as it should be...and good luck to him. The Colorado Rockies, meanwhile, will continue to groom up and coming talent for the marquee teams in the league.
  Whatever your decision Matt, and i'm kidding myself if I think you'll actually be reading this, but good luck to you. Don't follow in Helton's footsteps and leave the game without a World Championship. You deserve more than that. Wherever you end up playing, Colorado fans will always be proud to call you our Matt.

• July 15, 2008

  9:13 a.m.

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  arvada_mark writes:

  I don't understand you folks. Why bag on Holliday? What has he ever done? Are you mad because he can make $20mil in one year, for 10 years? That's like me being mad at Tiger because he can play golf better than me (just barely though). Get over it, he's worth it, & probably more. My proof will be when he gets paid. Be mad at the Brothers Mofort. They are the circus clowns/village idiots that has plagued this franchise for too long now...and they want to pass the team down to their kids. That means I will never know quality Rockies ownership in my lifetime.

  And as far as Holliday being as big as Elway.... That's laughable. You must not remember John's days here too well. We didn't hold up signs saying "Elway for President," we held signs that read "Elway is God." Holliday would need to spend about another 15 years in Denver, & bring a couple of titles home as well before he could even be compared to say, maybe TD. Elway was the Broncos. The Broncos were Elway.

• July 15, 2008

  9:19 a.m.

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  sldfkd writes:

  I really don't like how athletes just go from team to team, and in just a few short years, you won't even recognize anyone on your favorite team. There's something special about going out and rooting for the same guys every time, no matter how pathetically they lose. Quite frankly, I don't care if the Rockies win a World Series. I just enjoy having the same players out there to root for. It also tells you something about their character, if they don't pursue the monster contract, and stay with their team and community. It's players like that who get really famous (like Elway.)

• July 15, 2008

  9:32 a.m.

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  Marshdale writes:

  Revenue sharing. That is the answer folks. Until baseball does this it will be Yankees, Yankees, Yankees, Boston, Yankees, Yankees, Yankees, Cleveland, Boston, Yankees, Yankees, Yankees, St. Louis, Dodgers, Yankees, Yankees, Yankees and more Yankees.

• July 15, 2008

  9:52 a.m.

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  buffsblg writes:

  I have to disagree NativeDenver. While I am no fan of O'Dowd, the reality of baseball is that there is no salary cap and that means that certain teams can afford more than others. Remember that the big money is not in attendance, but TV markets and Denver can never compete with LA New York, Chicago or Boston on that. If Matt wants max money (and his choice of agent suggests he does) Colorado simply cannot compete. As much as I hate the truth, trading Matt now and getting some thing for him may be the better option than watching him leave for nothing at the end of his contract. It would be nice to have unlimited money, but this TV market and the economics of baseball simply do not allow that except for the teams at the top.

• July 15, 2008

  10:32 a.m.

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  athought writes:

  Wow, Cleveland actually winning a World Series? Marshdale, you are forgetting that the Florida (soon to be Miami) Marlins rent players every 10 years or so to win a World Series.

  The TV money is the key and Denver doesn't have the market to sign the astronomical salary Holiday's agent wants. Matt seems ambivilant about staying in Colorado. I disagree that Holiday could be the "next Elway" as that title pretty much belongs to Helton and likely to be succeeded by either Tulowitzki or Cutler. They don't chant Holiday's name at Coors and he isn't a clutch hitter. The clutch hits in the NLCS were by Torrealba and Matsui. The NLCS MVP for Holiday was a "makeup call" by the sportswriters for not giving him the regular season MVP. I say trade him and Atkins (they're a package deal) for some pitching prospects. The Rox are loaded for infielders so if one or two want to convert to OF, we wouldn't need to replace the hitters.

  Money has not always led to success in MLB. The Mets have nearly as much money as the Yankees but don't have nearly the success. LA teams can't keep fan support during bad years which is why the baseball teams are spotty at best and the NFL isn't keen on putting a team back in LA.

• July 15, 2008

  10:37 a.m.

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  craig7078 writes:

  At some point money is not the deciding issue for a lot of players, including I believe Holliday. They want to win on a consistent basis and compete for world championships. Holliday isn't going to get that here. You think players don't notice after a WS appearance this management did nothing to try and improve the team for this year. Actually they went the other direction with poor signings and poor decisions. Their reluctance to part with prospects they overvalue in trades to try to improve the team. Since Hollidays been here the Rockies have had one winning season and the rest have been far below 500. I don't blame him a bit if he goes where he has a chance to win consistently.

• July 15, 2008

  10:40 a.m.

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  arvada_mark writes:

  It's not the teams or the TV market, it's the owners & their shallow pockets...or at least their unwillingness to place their earnings back into the market. What, like the Brothers Monfort were given this club as a birth-rite? I don't think so. They got themselves into a high stakes poker game, with real high rollers, all the while only holding what amounts to pocket change. I will go ahead & label you a MORON if you think owning a professional sports franchise is a money making venture (yes, some do, but very few, actually turn a profit). You buy a pro sports franchise if you have extra money, not if you are trying to pinch pennies.

  If we buy more square hamburgers, then do you think we can keep Holliday then?

• July 15, 2008

  10:53 a.m.

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  jugdish writes:

  Holliday issue why baseball overtaken by NFL as America favorite sport. Fans seem tired of watching largest market take all the talent because they can better afford. While it does not always translate into a World Series, it often cripple medium and small market team. Keep eye on the Brewers. Smaller market team loaded with young talent. Watch it get picked apart with big market signing. Hard for small market MLB team to retain talent. Why?

• July 15, 2008

  11:07 a.m.

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  fastnloose writes:

  15 million per year and live in Denver. 22 million per year and live in New York.Matt is to good of a man to let his life be run by the almighty dollar, he knows the real "ALMIGHTY", and whatever he feels is best for his life and family will rule the decision.

• July 15, 2008

  11:10 a.m.

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  puxico1 writes:

  Show me the money........

• July 15, 2008

  11:42 a.m.

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  Squatch writes:

  I dont blame the Rockies for being gun shy about given him a long term big money deal. There is no doubt he is a good player that can be great but we all thought the same thing about Todd Helton now the rockies are stuck paying him 20 million for no production but they cant move him since his numbers have been down for a few years. Rockies fans would have been pissed if helton had left but now when your paying him 20 million its hard free up money sign Holliday, Atkins or another up and comer to a big paycheck.

  Its hard to be a contender unless your the Yankees & Red Soxs and can afford half your roster making 14-20 million a year and still pay a luxury tax the fans here in Denver wont pay for the product they have now and sure in the hell wont be paying 50 dollars for rock pile seats.

• July 15, 2008

  11:54 a.m.

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  SteveM writes:

  This article and headline really irritate me. Why is that we cannot enjoy what we have while we have it. "How long?" "Questions rise?" Ridiculous. Let the kid play and have fun. Were you people alive when John Elway shunned the Yankees and the Colts to become a Bronco? Did you write headlines and stories about Elway like you write about Matt Holliday? And you people who say that the Rockies shouldn't shell out big bucks to keep him...did you say that about Elway? Is Holliday as good as Elway? Why do you people not think the Rockies are as worthy as Boston or New York to have amazing players? You know what? If you went to the games and bought tickets like we did the first five seasons, the Rockies would have plenty of money to sign any body they want. In the past, they certainly did sign big name players (mostly pitchers) because they listened to pundits who said we'd never be a real big league team without such pitchers. That was a bust, ownership got burned, etc. Well, this is a different era in Colorado baseball. The biggest thing hurting the team right now is a lack of confidence in the home fans who seem to have jumped ship no sooner than the NCLS Champ banner was raised. We don't need fans like you! We need fans like the Cubs fans who NEVER EVER EVER give up, never stop believing in their team, and as soon as mathematical elimination rolls around, immediately start talking about how amazing the Cubs will be next year. These fans are absolute diehards. We need die hard fans for the Rox, not people who start a two-year-in-advance-diatribe about how the Rox will never be able to keep Holliday. If they want him, if we want him, and if he wants us, we can have him and he deserves us We need to prove to him that we deserve him, not the other way around. He's given it his major league all, heart and soul to the good of this team.

  The Rockies signed Todd Helton to a lifetime contract, and they can do the same for Matt Holliday, but they need to see the fans on the same page. 40% empty seats do not prove they are on the same page. They were getting that with a junk team. We have an NCLS championship team and we should be selling out Coors Field every home game! Put your money, fans, where you mouthes are and step up to the plate. You want great players to stay here, you want to show ownership that you agree with the team they worked long and hard to assemble against the odds of all pundits and sports casters alike, go to the games! Go see them play in other cities! Get with the program!

• July 15, 2008

  12:10 p.m.

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  arvada_mark writes:

  Yeah, because Helton was such a bust. Try a hall of fame bust (pun intended). Helton is the greatest 1st baseman of his time. Pujols is too young & too injured, & well, there is nobody else. Helton has been worth every penny. He may very well be the toughest out in all of baseball, still. Joe Koshansky, what's his name we sent to KC, Baker, they are not the answers. And Helton is not the problem. .330 career BA (all with the ROX) is a problem everybody in baseball wants. If that's the case, then Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, etc. probably only hurt the Yanks...right?

  BTW, Helton makes just over half of that $20mil you mentioned.

  As a fan of Denver pro baseball for over 30 years, I am personally willing to pay outrageous ticket prices if I could only get a confirmation of a commitment to winning...and I do not mean win once every ten years. I'm talking about doing the necessary things it takes to compete on an annual basis. And trading, or not resigning probably the best young offensive talent in the game is a slap in the face to every Rockies fan that wears his/her game jersey or hat with pride. Thanks, Brothers Monfort, for raising ticket prices this year, all the while lessening the overall talent pool of our ball club. The Rockies miss, heck, I miss Kaz & Fogg.

• July 15, 2008

  12:57 p.m.

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  Jamaro writes:

  Well Pujols is a great player, no way you can say he is to young or injured, that should have nothing to do with Helton. I agree it was a frustrating off-season, with the team holding position so much, hoping that Morales would somehow be able to bring is end of the year magic to this season. Team just has not been able to put anything together, injuries, not hitting, really not much you can do when you have the bases loaded 3 innings in a row and don't score. How do you fix that? Is it in their heads? Who knows.

  But back to Holliday, yes Helton got paid, he deserved it, he stuck with a horrid team and became the face of the franchise that few belived in and fewer belive in now. I think that the Rockies have to decide who they are going to keep with Tulo as the core. It looks more and more like Atkins will leave so why not sign Holliday to a major contract? Helton will not be paid that much forever, you have Tulo locked up for 6 years, Hawpe for 3 more? Find a core, build the offense around Holliday, Spilly can become a full time player, Baker/Barmes figure out which one to go with for a while, and the offense has a nice core, a few prospect in the mix and then a pitching the Rockies could focus on building a full pitching staff. Cook/Francis/Ubaldo/?/?, middle relief, Weathers, Corpas, Taylor.

  The Rockies can develope prospects, look at the team. It just comes to how are they going to handle the situations like this, when a prospect becomes a star. It is new territory for them, people expecting results after lasts years magic which I will never forget and enjoy as much as I can every time I think back on it.

  Even with all the GM bashing, O'Dowd has done well with trades, Jennings for Willy T, Taylor, and Hirsh, name ecscapes me but that vetren catcher for Kaz was a complete steal.

  Either way, Holliday I hope he is a Rockie, if not it will be a dissapointment, but I will follow his career and hope that the Rockies don't return to the basement for a prolonged streatch....

• July 15, 2008

  12:58 p.m.

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  Cwillyrun1 writes:

  arvadamark, you hit it with the comments about the Monforts. They reek as owners go....... they really do think they can turn a profit. Owning a team hardly means turning a profit, it's what rich people have for toys. And why are they thinking of passing the team on to their kids? So we can have perpetual mediocrity from ownership? They talk about growing talent and using it instead of having to get free agents to fill holes, but they're letting one of the best homegrown players they've had possibly become someone else's stud, a la the Pirates, Royals and any other perrenial loser! I can understand trading Larry Walker several years ago, even if I was peeved at the Rockies for it, but Holliday is different. He's young with plenty of playing days ahead, and he's one of baseball's top players, not someone nearing the end of his career. Dan O'Dowd, it took you several years to build a playoff team, and several years for fans to think you actually have a clue, but in less than one, you're flushing that down the toilet.

  After you trade Holliday, will you say the team's in rebuilding mode and we should wait a few years (which turns into over half a decade or more)? Will you say it was too good of a deal to pass up and we get a handful of pitching prospects in return that don't pan out as what usually happens? Will you tell the fans that the Rockies couldn't afford him, yet you rake money in from last year's playoffs and the attendance is good this season, resulting in more income? Bottom line, it's really not about the Rockies being a better team, it's about having one that is inexpensive and draws enough fans to make some money. Letting one of the two best players on the team to leave is sad.

  Holliday is not the next Elway....... nobody will be the next Elway. No way, no how. Elway was one of the best to ever play the game of football, and Denver's a football city. The other sports are fillers for the times football isn't in season.

• July 15, 2008

  1:16 p.m.

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  buffsblg writes:

  Want a difference between Elway and Holliday, Elway played in a league with a salary cap where TV revenues were shared across the board. That allowed the Broncos to compete (and by the way, they cheated at the cap as well). In baseball, none of that is true.

  I wish we lived in the fantasy world that you guys want, with an owner with unlimited money and fans who never cared about win loss and will pay an unlimited amount to see the team and while we are at it why not wish for the biggest TV contract in sports and no rain outs and freakin fairy dust in all the seats so we can all fly home and avoid the traffic.

  Deal with the reality that the owners do not have unlimited money (none do) and that we are a small market team, and that attendance really does not affect the ability to sign top end talent, but tv money does. The reality may be, trade Holliday for something now, or loose him in a year and a half for nothing. Wishing for more does not make the situation change.

• July 15, 2008

  1:35 p.m.

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  arvada_mark writes:

  An owner that does more than just talk about winning is not fantay land. It is fact. Sit up, get out of bed, open the sports page, & read just a snippet of what the Yankees, the Red S u x, & the Angels are doing. They make moves regardless of money. Their only regards are winning. Did Uncle Kronks care about "TV money" when the Avs were winning? Huh...? No he did not. He spent money to make the team an annual contender. And when it wasn't working, he went out & got top shelf talent. THAT IS HOW YOU RUN A PRO SPORTS ORGANIZATION. So stop already with the "TV money" excuse, because it's not valid. Bottom line is the Brothers Monfort can't afford to be competitive.

• July 15, 2008

  1:43 p.m.

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  buffsblg writes:

  Arvada_mark, according to Forbes, in 2005 the Yankees had revenues of 264 million. The Rockies had revenues of $132 million. (both teams claim to have lost money that year). You name me another business where a company with half the income competes straight up with the bigger one. I understand you want to magically change owners to find some guy with unlimited funds who never cares about money. Give me a name of that guy and then prove he wants to buy this team, especially in this economy. Other wise, you are just living in a fairy tale.

• July 15, 2008

  1:55 p.m.

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  Squatch writes:

  arvada_mark Sorry but Helton makes 16.8 million a year I said 20 million I was wrong but he did strike out 130 times last year while hit .291 and had a 91 RBIS. I would expect a little more from a veteren that makes 16.8 MILLION when you have kids on the team making 3 million a year.If you doubt what im saying heres the link and it not wikipedia.
  http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/b...

  I was mearly pointing out that when you sign someone to a long term big money deal you at putting yourself at risk in the future not to be able to sign your young up and coming stars when you need to. They made the free agent mistakes when it came to Neagle & Hampton since the fans thought they could win with better pitching.

• July 15, 2008

  2:04 p.m.

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  arvada_mark writes:

  Umm, the old NHL...we alredy covered this.

  And that name you are looking for...Steinbrenner (he already has a team). There's nothing magic about it. It has to do with will. Maybe that's why you are having such a diffcult time understanding that there are actually people out there that want to win more than they want to sit on their hands and say, "Well, we tried." It's not magic, it's simple desire & means. The Brothers Monfort have not displayed the desire, & they certainly do not have the means.

  I think Master Yoda said it best, "There is no try. There is only do, and do not."

  Either way, the Rox are my team. Holliday, no Holliday, lame ownership or not, they are my team.

• July 15, 2008

  2:09 p.m.

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  fastnloose writes:

  Fact is,baseball is not a science.Very hard to find an easy black or white answer.You can tell by the post written today.Man I love this game!

• July 15, 2008

  2:14 p.m.

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  arvada_mark writes:

  In 2007, Todd Helton of the Colorado Rockies (just so we're talking about the same guy) hit .320 with a mere 74 strikeouts. And don't forget the homer against Saito that started our 20 of 21 run.

  www.mlb.com - Get it from the source.

  Only player in MLB history to start his career with at leat 30 doubles every year to start a career (10 years). And he broke the record a few years ago. Yeah, Helton is a waste of space. .320 is below his career average. Listen, if 1-3 & a walk every game is bad, then Helton is horrible because that's what you get from him, every night of his career...11 years.

• July 15, 2008

  2:32 p.m.

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  Squatch writes:

  Forgive me I mixed some of Tulo's stats with Heltons. Do Heltons records make the Rockies win? Did this team not make the world series last year when the Monfort's were running the team?

  You are avoiding the point made on here since you are a Helton lover. I wasnt saying he was a horrible player i was saying wouldnt you as a BOSS be afraid to give another large contract to get less production and dont deny Heltons production isnt what it used to be even though they are a better team. Sure he gets on base alot but by the numbers he doesnt hit many runs in. Im glad they showed Helton the respect & Loyalty he deserved but this Market cant support 3 guys making 16.8 millions each and still run a competitive team.

• July 15, 2008

  2:57 p.m.

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  Cwillyrun1 writes:

  Helton is worth the money he was given. Hampton and Neagle were not. When someone's worth the money, and they're a favorite of the fans, pay them and build around it. Not many fans support a loser year in and year out. Outside of the Cubs, who has that? If the Monforts don't want to pony up money to have a competitive franchise, sell the team to someone who will. It's as simple as that. They DON'T have to own the team, it's by choice. Should we, the taxpayers, as owners of Coors Field, charge higher rent rates to use Coors Field? Can we also tell Monfort we don't want him using us to move his meat.... to be honest, the burgers are cardboard on buns? Seriously, as fans, we have the right to ask for better effort and better financial support to the team since we own Coors Field.

  Maybe a few people are right when they say that the Monforts don't have the ability to keep up, but then the Rockies become the Pirates, Royals or whatever small market, no-money team they'd like to be and as a fan, I won't support that at all..... no matter how nice or likeable the players are.

  There should be a salary cap and revenue sharing similar to what the NFL has, but the commish of baseball is a dud who won't even try. Basketball had the Cavs of the early 80's, where they were just there to show up and other teams raided their roster often, until the NBA commissioner stepped in. Wish Bud would fix the mess instead of thinking everything is fine and dandy, like he has through all the steroids mess.

• July 15, 2008

  3:27 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  arvada_mark writes:

  Well, I'm done here. But first I just want to restate my point...it's not the market, it's ownership's willingness (or lack there of) to do what it takes. Is Pheonix a major market? Or do they just spend well? They've seen value in guys we didn't want (Byrnes), & they've let players go that we've seen value in (B. K. Kim). You tell me, do you think they have a ceiling on what they will pay Upton when time comes for him to re-up? Is that ceiling half of what the Yankees would pay him? Are they going to tell him that the right thing to do is to take less money? I consider that un-American, by the way. My opinion...we have the worst front office in baseball. Thanks, good chat, good day. Go Rox!

• July 15, 2008

  3:46 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Squatch writes:

  No doubt the front office is one of the worst in sports but at some point you can either pay a few players big money or have a competitve team. Im glad they paid Helton and hope they can at least not insult Holliday with their offer. I hope to see Holliday, Atkins & Tulo play together for years to come but i wouldnt turn down 20 million if the yankees offered. If you dont think the rRockies are small market compare how many national televised games thy play a year compared to the Cubs or Cardinals.

• July 15, 2008

  4:05 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  ColoradoAztec writes:

  Todd Helton lives in Thornton and is a down to earth guy who deserved his contract. Matt Holliday is also a good guy who will take a little less (not a lot less)to stay with the Rockies but Boras won't have to twist too many arms to get $20-22 mil per year for at least five years. Yankees, Boston, and Dodgers are the prime contenders. Meanwhile back at the ranch, the collective 'brain trust' of the Rockies wants to get something for him but wait to long and he leaves and they get nothing. Teams in the same market as Colorado can make it as we saw last year but it's better to be lucky than good and we got plenty lucky last year. Get some good pitching prospects and wish Matt the best.

• July 15, 2008

  4:17 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  mkcampin2 writes:

  todd helton.....

  matt holiday is awesome...(((but)))

  he has a long... way to go before he can put up todd helton career #,s

• July 15, 2008

  4:49 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  buffsblg writes:

  the reality is that in Colorado, owners who are willing to treat the team as a plaything and try to buy a championship just do not exist. If this team is to be treated as a business, Holliday may just be too expensive to keep and therefore a trade may be the best for the long term prospects of the team. I will not and cannot defend this front office, but if they trade Holliday for young talent, then I will take the hit and understand that this is an unfair game and the Rockies are not on the winning side.

• July 15, 2008

  7:07 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  jj48fan writes:

  My only comment is...if the Rockies trade Holliday, by doing so they have just relegated themselves to the title of the “Triple A for the MLB.”
  Front Office has been preaching "developing players" and "patience" for how many years now (season ticket holder since 2000). Just when the Rockies have proven that development and patience means something (worth the wait), there’s all this talk of possibly trading Holliday because his “stock has gone up”!
  What was the point of the all that "preaching" if you had no intentions of keeping what you've "developed" or “invested in”?
  To the Rockies Front Office: What was the expectation after developing a player? … The price would go “down”? Common sense tells you the price would eventually go up and you sure as heck better make provisions for it!
  So much for “looking towards the future”...Yes, count the Rockies as the "Triple A Club for the MLB" if we start to see developed players start exiting through the turnstile.

• July 15, 2008

  10:34 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  bigbadthor writes:

  What else is new, I can't believe that those jerks the Mofferts took a bunch of credit for last year's run. Unfortunately, that World Series run probably hurt the Rockies because Holliday got national exposure and can demand more money, and he will leave and then they will get rid of anyone with talent that can make money. They are trying to be the A's, last I looked A's haven't won a world series in awhile, Denver is a good mid market team that can compete and will be supported if they make an effort to keep good players and be competetive. If the Mofferts are worried about losing money, then sell the team to someone like Mark Cuban who wants to win and could make the Rockies into a force. I prey that O'Dowd, Hurdle and the Moffert Brothers will be strapped to a train to El Paso to never be seen again in Denver.

• July 21, 2008

  8:25 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  grandmacoach writes:

  Holliday was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma, not pennsylvania.

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