UPDATE: Cards Acquire Holliday, page 26

[robbotis]

Do you think Mo gets calls about Albert? Does anyone even have the balls to ask?
Mo should just hang up on them at Alb...

[KyCardinalFan]

Doc is much more valuable to this or any team. I think they said they wouldn't trade Rasmus.

Page 39 of the Halladay thread:

Cardinals - Tony La Russa would like them to be buyers, for either a bat along the lines of Willingham or a starting pitcher along the grand-scale lines of Halladay. However, Cardinals' VP of player development Jeff Lunhow, who shares equal power with GM John Mozeliak, is fiercely protective of his farm system and isn't likely to approve the sacrificing of top prospects, third baseman Brett Wallace, outfielder Darrell Jones or righthander Jess Todd - which means Halladay is definitely out of the question.

The discussion then turned to whether Lunhow was equal to Mo, so maybe the Wallace part got lost.

[cards2468]

Doc is much more valuable to this or any team. I think they said they wouldn't trade Rasmus.

Page 39 of the Halladay thread:

Cardinals - Tony La Russa would like them to be buyers, for either a bat along the lines of Willingham or a starting pitcher along the grand-scale lines of Halladay. However, Cardinals' VP of player development Jeff Lunhow, who shares equal power with GM John Mozeliak, is fiercely protective of his farm system and isn't likely to approve the sacrificing of top prospects, third baseman Brett Wallace, outfielder Darrell Jones or righthander Jess Todd - which means Halladay is definitely out of the question.

The discussion then turned to whether Lunhow was equal to Mo, so maybe the Wallace part got lost.

It was entirely speculation. Poor speculation by the writer's part. The rumor later on was that the Cardinals balked at including Rasmus.

[haltz]

That's just stl media speculation. They can't even talk about these guys without those names being involved so it's silly speculation at that. Perez was a top five pospect in this system and now he's gone.

[cardsfansince82]

What was the original package for Holliday? Ludwick and Skip or something like that?

[cards2468]

Do you think Mo gets calls about Albert? Does anyone even have the balls to ask?
Mo should just hang up on them at Alb...

Maybe Walt drunk dials him asking for Albert

[C. Johny]

Why would you give Luhnow half of the "power" that's incredibly dumb and stupid. Why would he ever want to trade any of his prospects? It makes no sense to give him any power of the major league team.

[Fat Strat]

Why would you give Luhnow half of the "power" that's incredibly dumb and stupid. Why would he ever want to trade any of his prospects? It makes no sense to give him any power of the major league team.

Maybe he wants to win? Maybe he understands that there is more to the game of baseball than a minor league system? Maybe he's good at his job and smart and realizes that the best use of some prospects is to trade them for developed talent?

Luhnow's own thoughts on trading prospects from his interview with GRB a few years back:

I am not a believer in the untouchable? prospect. I never was when I played fantasy baseball and don't subscribe to it now. Of course, my caveat there is that in any deal you want to recognize what you are giving up and get equal or better value back.

The entire purpose of the minor league system is to serve the major league team. Lots of ways to do that. Trades are one way, and a proven way. Luhnow has always understood that.

[cpebbles]

If Willingham is as cheap as everyone is positing, pick up both of them. A league-average corner outfielder with power would make a nice bench player.

[Socnorb11]

Rotoworld:

Sources have informed SI.com's Jon Heyman that Cardinals manager Tony La Russa "badly" wants A's outfielder Matt Holliday.

This rumor is picking up steam and credibility pretty quickly. La Russa was also pushing for the Cardinals to acquire Holliday last season, and it's hard to blame him. The manager is acutely aware that his club needs a bat behind Albert Pujols. But giving up top prospect Brett Wallace seems misguided.
Source: Jon Heyman on Twitter