More than anything, this feels like a move focused on the fan base. Andy is showing that he’s willing to do his due diligence. And, really, who can blame him?

I’m sure he didn’t want to sign Atkins, but what other options does he have? He and Adrian Beltre are the only right-handed, power-hitting third baseman on the market, and, based on what I’ve seen, Beltre is going to sign with either the Red Sox or resign with the Mariners. With those odds, Atkins makes some sense.

A bid on Holliday, on the other hand, seems like posturing and an attempt to get the fan base excited again. While I agree with Stacey’s opinion that he would cause more disunity (my words) in the line up than he’s worth, he would also represent massive power potential if seated directly behind Markakis in the line up. And for that potential, I hope that if this doesn’t work out, it’ll show next off seasons free agents that he means business.

I think the Cardinals first baseman is the free agent that I want, not that it’ll ever happen. Holliday makes little to no sense. And plus he sucked in the AL.

I don’t love it, but if the front office is going to go bonkers, there are worse players to do it for. And it isn’t a bad idea to sign more than one Type A free agent if you’re going to sign any at all.

People talk about how bad Holliday was with the A’s, but he had an OPS+ of 120 there, all while adjusting to a new league. As far as free agent hitters go, he’s pretty young – 2010 will be his age 30 season. We’re looking for an elite, right-handed cleanup hitter. Well, Holliday is one. Not only that, but he’s the most attractive bat available both this offseason and next. The 2011 class has elite bats with team options that are a virtual lock, like Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman, Jose Reyes and Jimmy Rollins, and lesser options like Carlos Pena and Derrek Lee. And that’s it.

The philosophy is grow the arms and buy the bats, and not the other way around. Holliday is the best bat out there, both now and in the near future. Having Holliday makes the growing pains of Josh Bell and Brandon Snyder a lot more palatable, and gives us the ability to use Reimold as an elite trade chip or Pie as a lesser one. And the market for Holliday has looked soft so far. Maybe we grab him for merely $16 million for six, or better yet $20 for four. It is certainly worth exploring.

I agree this move seems redundant and unnecessary given what we have in the OF rght now. But I think we need to be honest with ourselves that we’re not the most desirable place for FAs to sign. That being the case, if & when we can get ahold of a top FA it might be a good idea to do so then use the other OFs for trades. The nice thing about trades for us is the player has no say in the matter barring a NTC.

  then trade scott pie and move riemold to 1st wiggy as a dh

 scott,pie

Because 1) I’m a dork, and 2) I didn’t sleep, and here’s what I think.

The first thing is I don’t think this is ever going to be a reality. Either the O’s are interested but won’t be willing to pony up the cash needed (depending upon the amount that could be a good or bad thing), or the O’s are feigning interest, or Boras is just trying to put pressure on the Cardinals.

However, if it happened, I think I’d be on board. Like JP said, it would be a real actual valuable FA agreeing to come here. That could go a long way. For another, it does give the O’s a lot more options. Yeah, we have a lot of good outfielders. But with Holliday you’ll get power that we don’t have. It’ll allow Reimold to slide into the DH slot and then that problem is solved. Pie will still be able to get plenty of playing time between CF, LF, DH, and Adam Jones’ getting injured. If you find a viable option for 1B you can trade Luke Scott without issue, and if you don’t you can stick him there until there is a better market for him or until a 1B solution (Snyder maybe? who knows) comes along.

My knee jerk reaction last night was to be anti, but I could come around.

But like I said, I can’t imagine it happening.

I’ve been trying to make sense of this new Birdland that has emerged in the last 24 hours. Here’s my theory.

Remember MacPhail saying at the end of the season that, from here on out, he should be judged on wins and losses? I and others have still thought of 2010 as a rebuilding year…hopefully the last before we make a playoff run in 2011. But what if he wants to make a run in 2010?

Holliday would certainly give us the offense to compete in the East and will help us years into the future. Atkins was just to help lure Holliday. Gonzalez is one of the best relievers on the market, even if we did overpay. But there again—why overpay if you’re not thinking of contending?

The big hole, of course, is starting pitching. I’m okay with a guy like Milwood as a 4th/5th starter eating innings and taking some heat off the bullpen and the other starters if he can keep his ERA under 5. But we simply don’t have the rotation to really compete.

My first instinct is that the Holliday story is a bogus plant and the Atkins and Gonzalez signings were just wrong-headed. But maybe there’s something more here.