Matt Holliday for Brett Wallace Rumors

mlbtraderumors.com reports that talks are heating up between the A’s and the Cardinals for Matt Holliday.  The Cardinals’ prospect mentioned is Brett Wallace, who was the 13th player selected in the 2008 Draft.

This makes sense to me.  If Holliday stays with the A’s, they will offer him arbitration so that they can get draft picks when he signs with someone else this off-season.  At best, the A’s can get the 16th pick in the 2010 draft, plus a sandwich pick somewhere between the 31st and about 50th picks.  At worst, the A’s get the sandwich pick and an early 2nd round pick, probably in the 50’s.

I think I’d rather have Wallace than the two draft picks.  2008 was a hitter-heavy draft, and Wallace would have been drafted higher among position players had he been in the 2009 Draft.

So far in his professional career, Wallace has an .861 OPS in 548 ABs, mostly at the AA and AAA level, which is very promising for a player who doesn’t turn 23 until August 27.

If the A’s can also get a throw-in player to be named later they like, and they can get the Cards to assume all or most of Holliday’s remaining 2009 salary, they should definitely make the deal.