photo: Greg Holland (Russell Lansford/USA TODAY Sports Images)
Way back in October – in those old-time days when free agents routinely rejected lucrative one-year qualifying offers, knowing greater riches would be just ahead – national columnist Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY tweeted this:
“Once
#Rockies closer Greg Holland formally declines his player option, the#STLCards plan to pounce as they search for closer”
https://twitter.com/BNightengale/status/918570138408030208
A lot has changed in the almost six months since.
While the St. Louis Cardinals clearly did NOT pounce on the free agent closer – in fact they feigned a lack of interest in him for months – they won their waiting game with Holland and agent Scott Boras on Thursday.
St. Louis has secured the services of the former Colorado Rockies star on a one-year contract worth a reported $14 million plus incentives. The deal is contingent on a physical examination yet to be completed, per multiple reports which surfaced just prior to St. Louis’ Opening Day game in New York.
Holland, 32, missed all of 2016 after Tommy John surgery, but came back strongly with the National League-best total (tied) of 41 saves in 2017. He was an All-Star and following the season, was named the NL Comeback Player of the Year.
However, there were concerns, as well. Holland’s velocity dropped and his second-half results were poor. Specifically, the right-hander saved 28 games with a 1.62 ERA prior to the All-Star break, but saved only 13 to go with an unsightly 6.38 ERA afterward.
This past fall, Holland declined his $15 million option to return to the Rockies and then turned down the club’s $17.4 million qualifying offer, as well.
For signing him, the Cardinals forfeit their second-round pick, 59th overall, in the 2018 First-Year Player Draft, and its associated budget of over $1.1 million. Further, they lose $500,000 from their international bonus pool, money that because of earlier overspending penalties they are likely to be unable to use, anyway.
While Holland has reportedly been working out in a Boras facility, one would think he would need some live mound time before being activated. This plan remains to be seen.
At that time, Holland is expected to step into the closer’s spot, vacated by free agents Trevor Rosenthal and Seung-hwan Oh. Originally signed for the 2018 job was Luke Gregerson, but the veteran missed most of spring training due to injury and remains on the shelf. Interim closers Dominic Leone and Tyler Lyons should return to set up roles.
The addition of Holland makes for an overall stronger bullpen than before as the Cardinals try to challenge the two-time division champion Chicago Cubs and 2017 second-place finisher Milwaukee Brewers. Both rivals enjoyed head-to-head play and standings advantages over St. Louis last season.
One remaining and intriguing question is what will happen to the roster when Holland is ready to go. Who will join Breyvic Valera (for Francisco Pena) and Josh Lucas (for Jordan Hicks) on the growing list of former 40-man roster players – to make room for the new closer?
Candidates currently in the minors – none of whom seem desirable to risk losing – may include lefty reliever Ryan Sherriff, right-handed pitchers Conner Greene and Derian Gonzalez, first baseman Luke Voit and shortstop Edmundo Sosa.
And who would Holland eventually replace on the active 25-man roster? Among the current bullpen members, only Leone, mainstay Matt Bowman and top prospect Hicks have minor league options remaining. Other potential solutions could involve a trade, release or additional injury.
As Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa was fond of saying when asked about such roster matters, “These things have a way of working themselves out.”
For more
The entire system view by level and position as last season ended with every transaction all year long is available via the Roster Matrix, always free, right here at The Cardinal Nation.
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Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian on Twitter.
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