Holliday agrees to minor-league contract

Veteran outfielder Matt Holliday has agreed to sign a minorleague deal with the Rockies pending a physical, according to a major-league source.

In five seasons with the Rockies from 2004-08, Holliday hit .319 with 128 home runs and 483 RBIS, and was involved in the most iconic play in franchise history when he was ruled safe at the plate to win Game 163 during the team’s run to the World Series in 2007.

The Padres’ manager in that game? Current Rockies’ manager Bud Black, who routinely kids around about whether or not Holliday touched the plate on that play.

Now, Black could be looking to the veteran down the stretch to firm up his bench.

After being traded to the A’s in November 2008 for Carlos Gonzalez, Greg Smith and Huston Street, Holliday also went on to play for the Cardinals and the Yankees last season.

In a half-season in Oakland, Holliday hit .286 with 11 home runs before being dealt to St. Louis, where he spent eight seasons, hitting .293 with 156 home runs and 616 RBIS. In one year in New York, he hit .231 with 19 dingers.

The 38-year-old was originally selected by the Rockies in the seventh round of the 1998 draft and is a seven-time all-star, four-time Silver Slugger and was the MVP of the National League Championship Series in 2007.

He was also a part of the Cardinals’ world championship team in 2011.

Holliday was selected to the franchise’s all-time 25 team as a left fielder for his play in Denver, and his potential return to Coors Field could reunite the fans with as one of the most revered players in the Rockies’ short 25year history.

But the outfielder will have to work his way up through the Rockies’ system.

He could start in Grand Junction, the rookie ball affiliate of the franchise, before earning his way up and eventually back to Coors Field.

Denver Post reporter Patrick Saunders contributed to this report