Heading into the 2017 season the Mets bullpen is in flux. One of the strong points of the 2016 Mets was the back end of their bullpen consisting of Addison Reed and Jeurys Familia. With Familia most likely facing a suspension stemming from his domestic violence arrest, the team will be forced to use Reed as the closer for at least the first month of the season. This along with the probable departures of Jerry Blevins and Fernando Salas have left the team with some major holes to fill.
Greg Holland spent the 2016 season on the shelf after suffering a UCL tear in late September of 2015. He is a dominant closer coming off Tommy John surgery and presents an intriguing opportunity for the Mets. He will probably be willing to accept a shorter-term deal than most pitchers with comparable resumes, due to health concerns and the risks associated with them.
Holland was the full time closer for Kansas City from 2013-15 where he compiled 125 saves with 242 strike outs as compared to 64 walks in 174 innings pitched. His numbers tailed off a bit in 2015, but this may have been due to prior seasons workload and the underlying arm issues that eventually resulted in surgery. Holland threw for several teams including the Mets in a showcase earlier this offseason to prove his health. His fastball sat in the 89 to 90 MPH range showing that he is well on his way to returning to his previous form.
Holland offers the Mets a chance to pick up a proven closer with a great track record at a bargain price looking to prove himself once again. He could serve as closer and allow Reed to remain in his familiar eighth inning role until Familia returns from suspension and then slide into the seventh or eighth inning position depending upon were the Mets feel more comfortable placing Reed. This would give the Mets a trio of dominant late inning arms much like the Yankees enjoyed last season.
Acquiring Holland would not only solidify the back end of the bullpen and take some of the sting out of the Familia suspension, it would lengthen the bullpen as well. Signing Holland would keep Hansel Robles out of a late inning role and allow him another season to gain experience as a low leverage relief pitcher.
He would also probably only be looking to sign a one year prove it deal. This of course falls in line with Sandy Alderson’s philosophy of signing relief pitchers to one year deals. Last season the Mets signed Antonio Bastardo to a multi-year contract and we all know how well that turned out.
Signing Holland seems like a very attractive option for a budget wary Mets team that ultimately needs to make some bullpen moves. Getting him will be a big step in the right direction for a team on the verge of something special.
I can’t really speak to the specifics of Holland in particular — I don’t know how much it will cost or the true condition of his arm — but yes, this is the type of thing that SA is looking to do.
I hope!
That said, I see Holland as a flyer rather than a sure thing. As a matter of policy, it’s always good to pick up a couple of these guys in the hope you might catch lightning in a bottle.
Typically these are signed to “enhanced” minor league contracts, where the player has exit clauses in the event new opportunities arise.
I still hope that Wheeler can play a role in stabilizing the bullpen. My only concern is that he likely won’t have the bounceback-ability you’d like to see, especially early in the season. Lugo, too (assuming Gsellman gets the #5 spot), would be helpful. Would rather see Seth get valuable outs in the MLB than meaningless ones out in Sin City.
Huh? Have you even been following his market and rumors?
The latest i’ve heard, Holland is still trying and likely getting a 2 year deal in the 20 million dollar range. In other words, he wants to be paid about the 5th highest reliever salary (and higher than both Familia and Reed i might add) and he’s asking teams to pretend like he wasn’t injured last season and that he didn’t walk over 5 bb/9 in 2015.
Nothing bargain about him at all.
Yeah, heard he had three teams interested on Holland on a two-year deal. I like Holland as a flier, not as a major deal. Salas and Blevins would be a nice start.
I’d think he would be a strong candidate for a modest one-year deal, try to establish health, and hope for a better payday next season.
The market may make that choice for him.
Just b/c he wants that doesn’t mean he’s going to get that. Just ask Jose Bautista and Mark Trumbo.
2 years @ $10 million per… maybe he wants to be the Highest Priced Unsigned Player!
I believe at this point in the offseason it is unlikely he will get a two year deal
Whichever GM signs Holland is going to be the dumbest GM in the game. Not only has Holland been away for a year and no one knows how he will come back, but players coming back from TJ have control issues, have usage issues, and most importantly still need to show they are healthy.
Even when this guy was healthy in 2015, his WHIP was 1.455. That’s not a closer, that’s a time bomb. While in 2013 and 2014 he was phenomenal, that was presurgery. So not only does he want a nice payday, the fact that he wants a two year deal with an opt-out after one year will keep him looking for work.
Correction: Whichever GM gives Holland what he wants, either an opt-out or high salary, will be the dumbest GM in the game.
Colorado Rockies GM Jeff Bridich just agreed to a one-year/$7 million deal with Holland. Doesn’t sound like an over-pay to me, but the player made it clear from day one he wanted to be the closer. Familia was a deal-breaker.
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Another head scratcher for the Rockies. A high base plus a crap ton of incentives that can push it up to 14 mil. Usually it’s a low base with incentives or a higher base with less incentives..
It’s certainly no bargain in any case.
They’re on the hook for 7 mil if he doesn’t throw a pitch for them.
My guess is that most incentives are based on health like IP and games finished rather than performance like making the all star team. If he’s average enough to keep the closers job and healthy, theyll likely have paid him 8-12 mil for mediocrity. Another overpay case
Even if he’s super dominant and you end up paying 14 mil, they wouldn’t have overpaid, but it’s hardly considered a bargain as its only a few mil off the top relief salaries of 16-17 mil. But i don’t think that you can put good odds on this case.
Name, add to your analysis that he hasn’t thrown a pitch since 2015 and at last scouting report he was only at 89-91. This, after forfeiting a pick to sign a SS/OF to a big deal to play… 1B the easiest position to fill. Especially confusing when you have plenty of outfielders and two deep in good young SS.
You were polite to call it a “head scratcher”. I might’ve offered something along the line of “LOL Rockies”.