Colorado Rockies outfielder Matt Holliday is reportedly being traded to the Oakland A’s pending physicals.  Although there is no confirmation which players from the A’s are being traded, it’s speculated at this time to be OF Carlos Gonzalez, SP Greg Smith, and RP Huston Street.  While this acquisition might be a surprise for some that only remember the A’s for their tight pursestrings, the A’s will be upping their payroll to $80 million for the 2009 season.

There are two possibilities here for the A’s:

1) They honestly plan to contend for a title next season and having Matt Holliday will certainly bolster an anemic offense.
2) They plan to acquire Holliday and then trade him to another team, be it at the deadline or right away, for more prospects.

As much as I’d like to see Holliday stay with the A’s, he will be a free agent after the 2009 season and he is a client of Scott Boras, a man notorious for letting his clients go out into the free market and find the highest contract said player can get.  And considering Boras WILL tell Holliday to be a free agent after next season, I would think that the A’s flip Holliday at some point, unless they are actually contending.