Entering into his first season with the Colorado Rockies after signing in the offseason, relief pitcher Greg Holland was the new guy when he arrived in Scottsdale for Spring Training. That being said, it didn’t take long for him to get acclimated to his new surroundings.
“Everyone gets along; everyone enjoys competing with one another and working hard,” Holland told Les Shapiro of Afternoon Drive on Mile High Sports Radio. “The clubhouse seems to have meshed really well. I feel like I fit right in.”
With that in mind, Holland didn’t join the Rockies to make friends. Holland wants to win.
“I wouldn’t have signed here if I didn’t think I had a good chance of going back to the postseason,” he said. “You look at the makeup of the roster, it’s a really good lineup, really good defense, a young starting rotation and I think a bullpen that hopefully is going to improve.”
A big part of the improvement of the bullpen hinges on the surgically repaired arm of Holland. After not pitching at all in 2016 whilst recovering from Tommy John surgery, he is starting to feel comfortable on the mound again.
“I’ve been throwing to hitters for over a week now; I’ve really enjoyed how it felt, how I’ve thrown the baseball,” he said. “I’ve gotten more consistent just over the last week or so, just from getting the extra touches. Because it’s been awhile since I was in a scenario where I was throwing 3-4 times of the mound in a week. It’s been really good so far.
“I’m almost 17 months out of surgery now. I think that once you get into that 12,13,14 months, there’s a transition period where you’re not as consistent of the mound; but I’ve gotten to the point now where I feel really consistent.”
Now that he is working back into the routine, Holland has no doubt that he can return to the form that saw him make consecutive All-Star Games in 2013-14. As for what role he will be in for the Rockies, if someone wants the closer’s job, they will have to take it from the veteran.
“Not to be egotistical or anything, but the way I look at it is I plan on pitching at a high level; and if there’s someone that’s more capable of throwing the ninth inning than me, I think that’s a good thing, because I plan on performing well,” he said. “So, if you’re outperforming me, that’s a good thing for the Colorado Rockies, as far as I’m concerned.”
Listen to the full interview with Greg Holland, including his scouting report of the team’s bullpen and his affinity for crossword puzzles, in the podcast below.
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