JUPITER, FLA. — Matt Holliday gained long-term stability and a chance to be a piece of the puzzle instead of facing the pressure of being “the man” when he signed a 7-year, $120 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals in the offseason. But the former Rockies star is keeping an eye on Colorado and rooting for his former teammates, who like the Cardinals went to the playoffs last season and are expected to do the same this year.
“It’s great,” Holliday said of the Rockies’ success after he was traded to Oakland before last season, then dealt to St. Louis late in the season. “I have a lot of great friends on that team and I still keep close contact with a lot of those guys.
“I’m excited for them. I’m happy for them and I wish them the best until we play them. It’s been really good to see.”
The chance to hit behind likely future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols is a plus for Holliday with St. Louis, as is a no-trade clause and the seven-year deal vs. a shorter deal offered by the Rockies in March 2008.
“It was a four-year offer, and it was pretty much take it or leave it,” Holliday said. “I didn’t think four years was long enough, so that’s basically what it boiled down to.”
Playing the final two months of the 2009 season with the Cardinals helped convince Holliday that St. Louis was the right place for him.
“The organization is run well,” Holliday said. “They put a competitive team on the field every year. The fans are great, it’s a great atmosphere to play ball in. It just fit everything that I was looking for. I was familiar with the guys and I really enjoyed my time here.”
David Wright: 303-954-1318 or dwright@denverpost.com
