Talking To Myself: Q & A On Derek Holland’s Promotion

I will try to run through a hand full of significant questions relating to Derek Holland’s promotion today. If you’ve got more questions, just add them to the comments and I’ll try to answer what I can.

UPDATE: I should mention that our major league debut beat guy, Jeff Miller, will be chronicling the life-changing day for Holland. He’ll have that for your perusal after the game. All questions for this post should probably refer to the technical aspects of why he was called up, how he will be used, etc.

Q: How will Holland be used?

A: For now, as a long reliever. He will be called on when the need for a multiple-inning reliever arises. He will not be used as a setup man, but there is no reason he can’t pitch the sixth and seventh. GM Jon Daniels said Holland is still a long-term starter in the team’s eyes, but when -and if – he moves into the rotation this season will be determined by his performance and the performance of those currently in the rotation.

UPDATE: I should mention that the Rangers believe there is no issue with breaking in a starting pitcher the “old-school” way. That is, having him work from the bullpen for a couple of months or a season before moving into the rotation.

Q: What does this do to Holland’s free agency clock?

A: It starts it, obviously. But the most important issue is that Holland can’t be a free agent before the end of the 2015 season. Had the Rangers started the season with him on the staff or called him up in the first week, he’d have qualified for a full year of major league service and,  if his callup became permanent, he’d qualify at the end of 2014. The cutoff date for qualifying for a full year of service was Thursday. Once the Rangers realized they had crossed that threshold, moving Holland up really started to get momentum.

“It’s a benefit, but that wasn’t the stated intent,” GM Jon Daniels said of the timing of the move. “Derek was the best option. We”re proud to be able to promote one of our own guys. We talked about this at spring training, even though we had committed not to do it. But right now, he’s the best option.”

Q: Why was Holland, who has been starting, the call-up and not, say, Thomas Diamond, who has been pitching effectively in relief for Oklahoma City?

A: The Rangers are going more on spring training performance than on anything that popped up in the first week of the minor league season. Diamond entered Saturday having allowed one hit and no walks while striking out five in 3.2 innings of work at Oklahoma City. It’s a big turnaround from his spring performance when he couldn’t find the plate.  He was among the first big leaguers sent to the minor league camp. Holland, on the other, hand got more and more impressive as the spring wore on. He stuck with the major league team until the last day of camp. And, though, the Rangers said on several occasions that they would not consider Holland for a spot on the Opening Day roster, Daniels acknowledged Saturday, that they were tempted.

“We committed not to do it, but there was some sentiment that our best pitching staff would include him,” Daniels said. “It was talked about.”

Q: Is this move temporary?

A: Not supposed to be. The intent is for Holland to be a major leaguer from this day forward. His performance will dictate whether he ever gets sent back down.

Q: How long until Neftali Feliz joins him in the majors?

GRANT: Feliz is two years younger and a lot less refined than Holland. He had command issues in spring training and has walked eight in two starts at Oklahoma City. That said, Daniels said, the club would not be opposed to bringing Feliz into this same role at some point this season. I don’t think he’s necessarily the next call-up, but there aren’t a lot of attractive bullpen options in the minors right now. Maybe Diamond. Maybe Pedro Strop.  Luis Mendoza, Kason Gabbard and Doug Mathis will really have to dominate hitters in order to get to the top of the list.

Q: Are the Rangers rushing Holland? He has only five appearances above Class A. The last time they rushed a stud prospect to the majors (Edinson Volquez) it didn’t work out so well for them.

A: In an ideal world, Holland would have had enough time to adjust to Triple-A hitters and figure out how to pitch guys with more refined strike zones. But the Rangers feel his pitchability is major-league ready and his makeup is off the charts in a good way. He’s a year older than Volquez was when he made his major league debut. And I think there is a big difference in terms of understanding big league life for a 22-year-old American compared to a 21-year-old kid from Latin America. Holland will still have some growing to do, but he’s got a much better understanding of the culture.

“Everybody is an individual,” Daniels said. “There is not any one way to develop every player or any one route.”