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Baseball Notebook: A's send Holliday to Cards for top prospect
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Published: July 25, 2009
■ Athletics-Cardinals trade: Oakland traded three-time All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday and cash to St. Louis yesterday for a package of prospects.
The A's will receive third baseman Brett Wallace, a top offensive player in the St. Louis farm system. Outfielder Shane Peterson and right-hander Clayton Mortensen also will come to the Oakland organization.
"Matt is an impact player who gives us an instant added threat in the middle of our lineup,"' General Manager John Mozeliak of the Cardinals said. "These types of opportunities are rare. The price to complete this deal was steep, but our organization feels that it should greatly improve our chances to compete for a postseason berth."
Holliday hit .286 with 11 home runs and 54 RBIs in his first season with the A's. Holliday, 29, had his best game for Oakland at home on Monday, hitting two home runs with a grand slam as the A's rallied from 10 runs down to beat the Minnesota Twins 14-13.
Wallace could provide the A's some depth at third base in the absence of six-time Gold Glover Eric Chavez, who is recovering from season-ending back surgery last month that he hopes will help salvage his career.
Wallace had moved quickly through the Cardinals' farm system and was considered their top offensive prospect. A first-round draft pick last year chosen 13th overall, he was already at Class AAA Memphis. Wallace, a left-handed hitter who was born in the Bay Area, was batting .293 with six homers, 19 RBIs and 11 doubles in 62 games for Memphis after starting the year in Double-A.
The A's recalled infielder/outfielder Eric Patterson from Class AAA Sacramento to fill Holliday's spot on the 25-man roster.
■ Royals: Jose Guillen's disappointing second season in Kansas City has taken a bizarre twist: Guillen, the Royals right fielder, could miss up to 10 weeks because of a knee injury sustained while he was putting on a shin guard.
The injury happened in the second inning of Wednesday night's 9-6 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. After playing two innings in the field, Guillen came in to get ready for his first at-bat.
While bending over to put on his shin guard, Guillen felt a pop and sharp pain in his right knee. He was immediately replaced by a pinch hitter and taken to the hospital.
The diagnosis was a partially torn lateral collateral ligament.
Guillen isn't expected to need surgery, but will get a second opinion to make sure. The initial projection is for him to miss four to six weeks, though it could be as long as eight to 10 weeks. The Royals placed him on the 15-day disabled list and recalled Mitch Maier from Class AAA Omaha.
■ Cubs: Chicago scratched Ted Lilly from his start today against the Cincinnati Reds because of shoulder soreness.
The team announced the move yesterday, when Lilliy was scheduled to undergo tests to determine the extent of the injury.
Lilly, Chicago's only All-Star this season, is 9-7 with a 3.59 ERA. He is coming off his worst start of the season, having allowed nine runs in four innings in Monday's 10-1 loss at Philadelphia. He had complained of soreness in his knee but this is the first time he has experienced shoulder pain.
The Cubs' starters are each moving up a day, with Kevin Hart going today, Rich Harden starting Sunday and Carlos Zambrano pitching Monday's opener of a series against Houston.
■ Tigers: Detroit recalled outfielder Carlos Guillen from Class AAA Toledo and reinstated him from the disabled list.
Guillen, who has been out since May 5 with a right shoulder injury, hit .571 with one RBI in two games with Toledo. In five games with Single A Lakeland, he hit .250 with a double and four walks.
Outfielder Josh Anderson was designated for assignment.
■ Reds: Cincinnati activated shortstop Alex Gonzalez from the 15-day disabled list and optioned infielder Drew Sutton to Class AAA Louisville.
Gonzalez has been out since June 20 with bone chips in his right elbow, and he underwent surgery to have the chips removed. In 49 games this season, Gonzalez is batting .214 with two home runs and 20 RBIs.
Sutton was 1 for 8 with two RBIs.
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