BREAKING NEWS: Holliday Traded To Athletics

That fireball you see is a gigantic piece of wood burning in the baseball hot stove.

Just days after the MLB General Manger meetings, a huge deal has been completed between the Colorado Rockies and Oakland Athletics.

The Rockies have agreed to trade outfielder Matt Holliday to Oakland for Carlos Gonzalez, pitcher Greg Smith, and closer Houston Street. The story was broken by Sports Illustrated WFAN baseball insider Jon Heyman.

Street was the only big name that the A's have left on their ballclub but has not closed more than 18 games in a season since 2006 when he saved 37 ballgames. Street gives the Rockies a needed closer or setup man, especially with Brian Fuentes set to hit the free agent market.

As for Holliday, the Rockies wanted to get prospects for him because they cannot afford enough money to keep Holliday beyond this season. Holliday is a free agent in 2010, and he is a client of Scott Boras, who likes to get the most money for his clients; for example, $300 million for Alex Rodriguez and $137 million for Johan Santana in years past.

Holliday, who is a .319 lifetime hitter, should request over $100 million in 2010 when he is a big ticket free agent. There were rumors that the Mets and Yankees were interested in Holliday, and no doubt they should be, but both clubs did not have the prospects for Colorado.

Expect Oakland GM Billy Bean to trade Holliday by the July 31 trade deadline in 2009. The only question is whether the Mets or Yankees will be desperate enough to part ways with their top prospects, i.e. Fernando Martinez and Jon Niese for the Mets, or Phil Hughes and Austin Jackson for the Yankees.

Either way this is a one year detour for Holliday. Chances are he will hit it big in 2010 by signing with a big market team like the Mets, Yankees, or Red Sox, Cubs, Dodgers or Angels.