Matt Holliday

Since free agency began in November, Matt Holliday and Jason Bay have been the consensus two best hitters on the free agent market.

The general thought seems to be that while Bay is a great hitter, Holliday was the more desirable free agent for several reasons:

* Age: Holliday is almost 30 years old and should be entering his prime years. In contrast, Bay will be 32 years old this season.

It's finally official: the St. Louis Cardinals have retained All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday.

Holliday and the club announced today that they've agreed to terms for a 7-year/$120 million contract that will keep the sweet-swinging slugger in St. Louis through 2016.

The deal comes complete with a no-trade clause and a vesting option for 2017 that will kick in if he finishes in the top 10 for the 2016 National League MVP voting.

It’s truly happy “Holliday” in St. Louis, though us Cubs fans may not enjoy our New Year's quite as much now.

For the Cubs division challenger and long-time bitter rival St. Louis Cardinals put a dagger into the rest of the division by announcing the team has re-signed free agent outfielder Matt Holliday to a seven-year, $120 million contract.

The St. Louis Cardinals and outfield free agent Matt Holliday have come to terms on a new contract making Mr. Holliday the highest paid team member for 2010.

Scott Boras, Holliday's agent, has confirmed it's a seven year, roughly 120 million dollar deal for the free agent outfielder. Holliday revealed those numbers late this afternoon on ESPN Radio. All were in agreement that the brawny baseballer wouldn’t have to “ever set foot into Aldi again.”

Recently, former Boston Red Sox outfielder Jason Bay signed a new contract with the New York Mets for four years and $66 million.

Why the Mets wanted to overpay for an average hitter, I don't know.

Jason Bay was instantly beloved by the Fenway Faithful after being acquired on Trade Deadline 2008, which saw the Public Enemy No. 1 in Boston, Manny Ramirez, leave for Los Angeles.

The Mets have signed Jason Bay.

Dismayed that Theo Epstein failed to retain the popular left fielder, but relieved that Brian Cashman has not acquired in him another Johnny Damon, Red Sox Nation releases a long-held breath.

Still, the Red Sox could go outfielder crazy and sieze the available, affordable and vastly superior Matt Holliday.

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the Cardinals believe themselves well-positioned to re-sign their goatish protection for Albert Pujols. With their current offer, they would frankly get Holliday for a proverbial song.

According to The New York Daily News' Adam Rubin, Jason Bay's agent, Joe Urban, has been MIA for the last few days. Sounds like classic dating trouble. Things were getting interesting, but now she's not answering the phone. "She's just not that into you," may apply.

Meanwhile, WEEI's Rob Bradford reports that the Red Sox are considering another offer to Bay. Sounds like Bay went looking for something better, realized he was throwing away a good thing, and is now trying to get Boston to take him back. 

What we know right now is that there is one team pursuing Matt Holliday.

Despite Scott Boras' best antics, everyone that follows baseball knows only the St. Louis Cardinals are in the running for Holliday.

Why hasn't Holliday signed yet?

Boras.

Boras won't let Holliday sign until they have exhausted every option and gotten the offer they want from the Cardinals. In other words, he wants to prolong this until he gets his way.

This marks the third edition in my new series in which I am attempting to name the top ten players in the history of each MLB franchise. This one will take a look at some of the Rockies greats.

With as prolific an offense as the Rockies have had through the years, it only makes sense that the top seven guys on this list would be hitters.

(Aaron Torres is a journalist whose work has been published by Sports Illustrated and syndicated by USA Today and AOL.com. To read all of his work, including this article in its entirety , please click here, or visit him at www.aarontorres-sports.com )

Out of every sport, baseball is the one I go furthest back with.