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Musclechemistry Guru
Matt Holliday set for Rockies return after 10-year absence
Marc Lancaster, Omnisport
Twenty years after the Rockies selected him in the seventh round of the MLB Draft and 10 years after he last wore their uniform, Matt Holliday is set to put on a Colorado jersey again.
The 38-year-old will have his contract purchased by the Rockies, the Denver Post reported, and manager Bud Black told KOA radio Holliday will start in left field Thursday afternoon against the Padres at Coors Field.
Colorado signed Holliday to a minor league contract July 29 and he had been hitting well at Triple-A Albuquerque (.346 with three home runs in 15 games) as he worked himself back into baseball shape. He spent last season with the Yankees but was released in November and didn't hook on with a new team this spring.
Holliday spent his first five big-league seasons with the Rockies, helping them to the World Series in 2007 with a monster season that saw him finish second to Jimmy Rollins in NL MVP voting. Holliday led the NL with a .340 average, 216 hits, 50 doubles and 137 RBIs that season, and was named MVP of the NLCS as well.
Colorado traded him to Oakland after the 2008 season, netting young outfielder Carlos Gonzalez as part of the return, and the A's flipped him to St. Louis the following July. Holliday helped the Cardinals to a World Series title in 2011 and stayed through 2016 before joining the Yankees last year.
In his return to Colorado, the seven-time All-Star figures to serve as a power bat off the bench and get spot starts in the outfield and at first base. The Rockies enter Thursday 1 1/2 games behind the Diamondbacks in the NL West and a half-game behind the Brewers for the final wild-card slot.
Marc Lancaster, Omnisport
Twenty years after the Rockies selected him in the seventh round of the MLB Draft and 10 years after he last wore their uniform, Matt Holliday is set to put on a Colorado jersey again.
The 38-year-old will have his contract purchased by the Rockies, the Denver Post reported, and manager Bud Black told KOA radio Holliday will start in left field Thursday afternoon against the Padres at Coors Field.
Colorado signed Holliday to a minor league contract July 29 and he had been hitting well at Triple-A Albuquerque (.346 with three home runs in 15 games) as he worked himself back into baseball shape. He spent last season with the Yankees but was released in November and didn't hook on with a new team this spring.
Holliday spent his first five big-league seasons with the Rockies, helping them to the World Series in 2007 with a monster season that saw him finish second to Jimmy Rollins in NL MVP voting. Holliday led the NL with a .340 average, 216 hits, 50 doubles and 137 RBIs that season, and was named MVP of the NLCS as well.
Colorado traded him to Oakland after the 2008 season, netting young outfielder Carlos Gonzalez as part of the return, and the A's flipped him to St. Louis the following July. Holliday helped the Cardinals to a World Series title in 2011 and stayed through 2016 before joining the Yankees last year.
In his return to Colorado, the seven-time All-Star figures to serve as a power bat off the bench and get spot starts in the outfield and at first base. The Rockies enter Thursday 1 1/2 games behind the Diamondbacks in the NL West and a half-game behind the Brewers for the final wild-card slot.
