Tracy Ringolsby's weekly baseball notes

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The longer the Colorado Rockies struggle on the field, the sooner management is going to have to deal with the future of Matt Holliday, among others.Holliday could become this year's Mark Teixeira, dealt at midseason a year ago by Texas to Atlanta, which was willing to give up five prospects because Teixeira had another full year of service before becoming a free agent.Not only is Holliday in that same situation but also, like Teixeira, he is represented by agent Scott Boras. Boras' reputation (which he will say isn't fair) is that he would rather take a player on the free-agent market to get the maximum dollars than sign a multiyear deal with the possibility of leaving money on the table.The Rockies took what they hoped would be a first step toward opening talks with Holliday about a long-term deal when he was signed for two years and $23 million in January, covering his final two seasons before being eligible for free agency.No progress has been made in working out an extension, although the Rockies would seem inclined to make a strong pitch to Holliday before deciding to move him.The Rockies have indicated they are looking at something in the five-year, $90 million range, but Boras has sent out feelers that he is looking for something closer to the eight-year; $153 million deal Miguel Cabrera received this spring from Detroit.Teixeira turned down an eight-year, $140 million offer from Texas before he was dealt last summer.The Rockies could test the market for Holliday before the July 31 deadline for trades without waivers, and if they don't get what they want, they could revisit the market in the offseason.A key for the Rockies is that not only does a team such as Cleveland, which has depth in its farm system, need a middle-of-the-lineup bat, but so do the Yankees. The Rockies would have a chance to get Boston involved in talks, too, if the Red Sox decide they would rather invest in a younger Holliday than exercise the $20 million options they hold on Manny Ramirez for the next two years. There is no buyout for Ramirez's options.In addition to Holliday, the Rockies figure to check out the market for left-handed closer Brian Fuentes, a free agent after this season, and third baseman Garrett Atkins, who isn't free-agent eligible until after the 2010 season.Atkins raised eyebrows in the offseason when he was critical of the four-year contract pitcher Jeff Francis signed a year ago.The Rockies would have flexibility in what they seek in return because of the presence of third baseman Ian Stewart, who could move to left field, and Seth Smith, both a part of last season's September drive to the N.L. pennant.INFIELD CHATTER-- Milwaukee owner Mark Attanasio has said that payroll flexibility is there if general manager Doug Melvin wants to add a starting pitcher to make up for the loss of Yovani Gallardo, who underwent knee surgery.-- The Mets are optimistic about veteran right-hander Pedro Martinez's rehabilitation assignment and are talking about having him back in the rotation by early June.-- Indications in Philadelphia are that signing closer Brad Lidge to an extension is a priority. While the Phillies would also like to retain left fielder Pat Burrell, they figure it's easier to attract a bat to play in their hitter-friendly ballpark than a legitimate late-inning reliever.THE ROTATIONInterleague play was adopted in 1997, but it was discussed long before that.The timeline of major efforts:-- 1933: William Veeck Sr. of the Cubs, noting a 40 percent decline in attendance during the Depression, suggested interleague play from July 5 through mid-August. Veeck died in October and the subject was pushed aside.-- 1953: Bill Veeck, looking for a way to save his St. Louis Browns, proposed interleague play involving four games against each of the eight teams in the other league. The A.L. owners not only rejected that idea but also denied Veeck's proposal to move the Browns to Baltimore, which was approved as soon as he sold the team.-- 1959: The A.L. approved interleague play with the idea that Calvin Griffith would move the Senators to Minnesota but was concerned about political repercussions and suggested a one-team expansion in each league -- Minnesota in the AL and a New York franchise in the NL.-- 1962: Commissioner Ford Frick suggested a 157-game schedule that would provide four games against each team in the other league and 13 against each team in the same league, but the NL rejected the idea.-- 1975: The AL proposed an interleague plan to settle an antitrust suit arising from the Seattle Pilots' move to Milwaukee, which would have allowed the AL to add a team in Seattle, but the NL declined to add a 13th team.LEE TURNAROUNDOK, Cleveland left-hander Cliff Lee got the message. Struggling last year at 5-8 with a 6.29 ERA, he spent the second half of the season at Class AAA. He seems intent on avoiding a return trip. Lee goes into his Sunday start with a 0.67 ERA, the third lowest ever for a pitcher after seven starts, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.Fernando Valenzuela had a 0.29 ERA for the Dodgers in 1981 and a year before that, Mike Norris had a 0.45 ERA in Oakland. What's more, Lee is 6-0 in seven starts, and it's not his fault he had a no-decision. He pitched nine shutout innings Monday in a game the Indians lost 3-0 to Toronto in the 10th.CLOSING STATEMENTDon't think interleague play has an impact on the pennant races?Since 2000, only three of 32 A.L. postseason teams had a losing record in interleague play: Oakland (8-10) in 2006, the Angels (7-11) in 2004 and Cleveland (7-11) in 2001. A.L. playoff teams since 2000 are 355-220 in interleague play.Twenty-one of the 32 NL playoff teams have had a winning record, and N.L. playoff teams were a combined 272-232.NUMBERS GAME-- 0.9: The ERA for Boston setup man Hideki Okajima, but the more telling statistics are he has blown four of five save situations, has allowed 11 of 14 inherited runners to score and failed to retire seven of the 18 first batters he has faced, including yielding a grand slam to Baltimore's Jay Payton in a 6-3 loss on Wednesday.SUNNY DAYS IN FLORIDAThe Florida Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays have been in first place since Wednesday morning, the second time that has happened, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.The previous time was on April 9, 2004. Tampa Bay has been above .500 for 21 consecutive days, a franchise record. The previous high was 15 in a row in 1998.HE SAID IT"I don't overpower people. I feel like any other pitcher out there and at 44, I enjoy battling, but at times I have to do it a lot more and it becomes a little more frustrating."-- Randy Johnson, Arizona left-hander, who on Tuesday earned career victory No. 287, seventh most for a left-hander and one behind Tommy John.(Tracy Ringolsby writes for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, Colo. E-mail ringolsbyt(at)RockyMountainNews.com.)