With Jason Bay off the books and the Mets no longer in the outfield market, the likelihood that free agent outfielder Matt Holliday returns to St. Louis increases.
Bay missed out on a bigger payday by not signing earlier in the offseason (Holliday will probably say the same soon). Bay will make around 16.5 million dollars per year, meaning that Holliday will earn somewhere between 16-18 million next season.
Sources say there is no clear frontrunner for Holliday, but that at least five teams remain in contact concerning Holliday, including the Cardinals.
The source went on to say that he expects talks between Holliday and the Cardinals to heat up in the next couple of days, particularly because the Mets are out of the mix and the Cardinals are inclined to make a deal.
The Orioles have been monitoring the Holliday situation all offseason, and could enter the mix now that an informal price has been set. The Orioles need a corner outfielder, and have a solid core of young players that could appeal to Holliday. However, playing in the AL East is not something Holliday has proven to be effective in.
Holliday is a three-time All-Star who batted .313 with 24 home runs and 109 RBIs splitting the 2009 season between the Cardinals and Oakland Athletics. He is a career .318 hitter in six seasons.
All signs point to Holliday landing back in St. Louis. It is good for him, good for Albert Pujols, and good for the Cardinals.