My plan for the offseason if it is possible is to sign John Lackey, retain Delgado on a cheap contract and then address LF with either Halliday or Bay.

Bay has proven he can hit in big ball parks for the Pirates and under the pressure in Boston.

I think he has more power than Halliday aswell and definately will be the cheaper player.

Halliday though turned in a very good year outside of Colorada but clearly showed less power and had a bad first half to his year in the AL. He still hit for better avg but less power ... he will also cost far more I believe than Bay due to his inflated career numbers.

They both have their strengths and advantages ... who would you rather have and why?

neither, i don't like either. I rather trade for a better bat.

I would rather have Bay, we need another guy who can hit with RISP. Wright was awful with 2 outs RISP this year, Bay hit .333. I just have more confidence Bay takes the pressure off of Wright more than does Holliday. Something about him I trust more. Plus he's cheaper, and Holliday is not worth the money that he'll get. That being said, I DON'T want Lackey at all.

If Holliday hit for more power, that would make sense, but he doesn't.

He hit 16 HR in 56 or so games in ST Louis, that is a about a 45 HR pace outside Coors, Holliday is a better overall hitter than bay

Bay because Holliday will be playing in the Bronx.

Holliday is a terrible oufielder, he belongs in the American League as a DH. But he couldn't hit the AL pitching so he's probably staying the NL.

matt holliday.....younger and more raw power

He is not a terrible fielder, he is an average LF, not great range but similar to a lot of LF. He missed a ball in playoffs, now he can't field?

They're less than a year and a half apart, barely a difference for two outfielders.

Come on man, I'm obviously not basing it off that one play. He can't field, I've seen games where he's made awful plays where he looks completely lost. If he didn't happen to have some speed he would be as bad of a fielder as Alfonso Soriano.

If he has more power ... why did he hit less homeruns this year outside of Coors compared to what Bay did?

I believe his slugging overall was lower aswell compared to his career averages and compared to Bay and that is WHILE having a higher batting average which affects your slugging.

Clearly Bay hit for more power.

This one's hard. But if they have to get into a bidding war with the Red Sox or the Yankees over one of them, then they should go with the other. I think the Sox might go after Holliday. If so, then they have to try to get Bay.

Holliday has a higher BA, OBP, way less strike outs and is a more consistent... plus is a better RBI guy. Bay is pure power and not much more, Holliday is a more complete hitter... and Bay just had a career year in HR and RBI.

I like Bay for the same reasons you indicated (and i think he may come a bit cheaper)...and i think Holliday may be the one that ends up in Boston.

"Holliday is a terrible oufielder, he belongs in the American League as a DH."

Bay is much worse. In fact, Holliday isn't bad - a 6.2 UZR compared to Bay's -13.9 UZR.

h ttp://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=of&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=y&type=0&season=2009&month=0

Funny how guys have career power years in Boston. Hmmmm.

Matta Holliday's stats away from Coor's field tell a much different story. Playing away from Denver Matt Holliday only has (over a 162 game schedule) a .290 AVG, 94.4RUNS, 23.7HR, 93.4RBI's, & 17 SB. This year Jason Bay, who plays in the tough AL East, had a .267AVG (just an off year), 103 RUNS, 36 HR, 119 RBI's and 13 SB.

I have this strange feeling that you might be biased...dunno why. But, if it's between Bay and Holliday (I'd rather have Crawford in left and Fielder at first), I have a vague gut feeling that Bay would handle New York better than Holliday would. Maybe because his laid-back attitude reminds me of the great John Olerud.

"Maybe because his laid-back attitude reminds me of the great John Olerud."

Interesting...never thought of that.