Plus, it isn’t just the numbers that Holliday put up in Oakland, it’s also how he arrived at those numbers. He wasn’t Manny-in-Boston bad, but he sure had the “just visiting” sign around his neck for 100 days. Plus, AL pitchers pounded him hard inside and he never adjusted.

So if you look at his and Bay’s market, it is pretty small. Only a few teams have the payroll flexibility to take on the contracts those two would want, and only maybe 2 teams in the AL can afford the risk that Holliday represents.

For a guy with so many connections and years of service in MLB it sure seems like he’s playing out the string lately.

This “scoop” about agents screaming collusion is just an obvious point he’s talking about before anyone else does - primarily because it’s only a few weeks before the playoffs and that talk is generally reserved for the offseason. (Note: I didn’t mention it was a pennant “race.”)

Admittedly I haven’t read/watched much of him lately so maybe he’s still pumping out some good stuff here and there.

I’m not gonna worry about Gammons when someone actually writes “Manny in Boston bad.”

@Mark - I’ve never understood all the love for Gammons. 
And, this is beside the point of Craig’s post, but his excerpt includes one of the main things about Gammons that aggravates me.  I hate his forced references to rock songs.  They always come off as lame and contrived.  Yes, Peter, we know you like the Rolling Stones.

I agree with Jim U. completely.
Holliday was fairly awful the first 4-6 weeks of the season but his stats were very respectable (.287 avg .379 obp) by the time he went to the Cardinals in late July.
Those numbers weren’t considerably different that Mark Teixiera’s numbers at that point in the season   (.280 avg .381 obp) and, in case you’ve forgotten, Teixiera’s stats were worse than Holliday’s during those same first 6 weeks of the season.  (.191 avg. .338 obp.). At the time, the NY writers were saying that the best signing was Nick Swisher.
Holliday’s RBI totals would have had to be less than Teixiera’s because if I remember correctly, someone actually has to be on base when you get a hit to have the possibility of an RBI.  Teixiera had Jeter and Damon ahead of him in the lineup.  Holliday had, well, whatever…
Teixiera’s average increased dramatically when A-Rod returned.  Holliday’s “protection” was Jack Cust.
I’m not saying that Holliday is better than Teixiera.  I’m just pointing out that he wasn’t even close to a disaster in Oakland.

Exactly Mike. It is overlooked, but the assumption is there and pollutes all discourse on the subject.