12/19 14:25 PST Update: Buster Olney Blogs: The Cardinals continue to believe their offer to Holliday is the best, sources say

12/18 10:40am PST Update: Buster Olney Tweets:  Heard this: Before the Red Sox signed Lackey for $82.5 million, they offered $82.5 million to Holliday. Now they’re out on Holliday.

12/17  16:08 PST: ESPN The Magazine’s Buster Olney blogs that “the Red Sox would still be interested in signing (Matt) Holliday, but at less dollars than are currently being offered by the Cardinals.”

Olney goes on to say that the Yankees may be in play for Holliday, but an official with knowledge of the Yankees’ thinking told Buster there is “not a chance” of the team signing Holliday or Bay.  The Mets are monitoring the negotiations between the Cardinals and Holliday, but Holliday may be out of the Met’s price range.

Last week Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the Cardinals have offered free agent outfielder Matt Holliday an 8-year contract that is worth “around $16 million a season”.  The Cardinals have attempted to address Holliday’s agent Scott Boras’ displeasure with the proposal’s average value by adding years to the deal.