Colorado Rockies: Five Free Agents to Target
Greg Holland: High-Risk, High-Reward
Entering a contract year with the Kansas City Royals, Greg Holland looked poised for a huge payday; however, late season arm problems made the hard-throwing righty undergo Tommy John surgery. The timing for his injury could not have come at worse time, and he will have to settle for a discounted price this offseason. Also, he is almost a lock to not pitch in 2016, so any signing would be with 2017 and beyond in mind.
With the Colorado Rockies signing multiple relievers this season, in addition to trading for relievers over the past year, they have a full bullpen heading into 2016, making Greg Holland a worthwhile signing. The new additions of Chad Qualls, Jason Motte, Miguel Castro, Jairo Diaz, and Jake McGee bode well for the Colorado Rockies to have a new and improved bullpen.
At age 30, Greg Holland still has plenty of time to re-establish himself as a dominant reliever when he comes back from elbow surgery. The Colorado Rockies signed Qualls and Motte to short-term deals, which helps the team both in the immediate future and down the road. If the Colorado Rockies were to sign Greg Holland, they could transform the back-end of their bullpen into one of the best in the MLB.
Greg Holland had back-to-back All-Star seasons in 2013 and 2014, and he cemented his place as one of the best closers in baseball. Holland posted sub-2 ERAs in both seasons, and before he tried to play through arm problems, he was off to a solid 2015 season. Also, in 2013 and 2014, Holland posted a 13.0-plus K/9, which helps his case for pitching for the Colorado Rockies.
Imagine the Colorado Rockies bullpen in 2017 with Jake McGee, Miguel Castro, Jairo Diaz, and Greg Holland. Regardless of the Colorado Rockies’ starting pitching, they could become contenders just from their strong bullpen, following the footsteps of the Kansas City Royals. The Kansas City Royals have no clear-cut ace, but they had one of the best bullpens in baseball, showing just how much a dominant bullpen helps in today’s game.