Greg Holland was 24 when he made his major-league debut for the on Aug. 2, 2010, vs. the . He arrived to the big leagues with a 96-98 mph fastball and a wicked slider. And a lot to learn.
Steve Foster was his bullpen coach, his teacher and his confidant.
Now, at age 31, after two all-star seasons, 145 saves and a sparkling 2.42 career ERA, Holland is trying to regain his form and effectiveness after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2015. He’ll attempt to do so wearing a Rockies jersey at the toughest pitcher’s park in baseball, .
Foster once again is in his corner.
Foster, entering his third season as Colorado’s pitching coach, was instrumental in convincing Holland to sign with the Rockies on Saturday. A number of teams were interested in Holland, including the . Pitching at high altitude is not considered an incentive.
“Steve called me and asked if I’d be interested,” Holland said. “We had a long talk, and discussions started from there.”
According to Rockies general manager , Foster did more than just get the ball rolling.
“Steve was massively influential,” Bridich said. “First, in terms of educating me on the person Greg is — which is important. Plus, I could see Steve’s conviction, and Steve would not leave me alone about it. And then there were some important conversations that happened between Steve and Greg. That was a big part of this.”
Foster helped guide Holland through the ups and downs of learning how to pitch in the big leagues. As a rookie In 2010, Holland went 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in 15 games. Foster, then in his first year as the Royals’ bullpen coach, could see Holland’s potential.
“He was a closer when he first got to the big leagues. It just took him time to get to the role,” Foster said.
A year later, Holland pitched 60 innings and had a 1.80 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP. The next season, after the Royals traded closer Jonathan Broxton to Cincinnati at the trade deadline, Holland was given the opportunity to close. He ate it up. He finished 2012 with a 2.96 ERA, a 1.37 WHIP, 12.2 strikeouts per nine innings and 16 saves.
And, as the Royals morphed from perennial doormats into a powerhouse, Holland was their ninth-inning man. In 2013 and 2014, he was selected to the All-Star Game. In 2014, he helped Kansas City win the American League pennant.
Holland’s stellar statistics told only part of the story.
“This guy is a leader, not just because of the things he does on the field but the way he carries himself. A coach notices things like that,” said Foster, who was promoted to Kansas City’s pitching coordinator in 2012. “We look for guys with presence, guys that take the game seriously and act like a man. I felt Greg did that from the time he got to the big leagues.”
Holland paid tribute to Foster upon being introduced as a Rockie.
“When you play baseball, you go through your ups and downs just like you do in any job,” Holland said. “Having someone to talk to that really has a deep moral compass like he (Foster) does can really help you out mentally, because a lot of times stuff going on in your life can affect the way you perform.”
Now Holland faces a new challenge, coming back from Tommy John surgery.
While the Royals were on their way to winning the World Series in 2015, Holland’s season unraveled. His overpowering four-seam fastball, which had averaged about 97 mph, was down to 93-94. He was hit harder (7.9 hits per nine innings compared with 5.4 from 2012-14), he gave up twice as many walks (5.2 per nine innings vs. 2.6), and his strikeout rate plunged (from 13.4 per nine innings to 9.9).
He lost his closer’s role in September, then was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He underwent Tommy John surgery and, entering his last year before free agency, was non-tendered by the Royals in December 2015. He spent all of 2016 rehabilitating his elbow.
Now, backed by a contract that guarantees him $7 million this season, Holland is confident he can make it all the way back to becoming a top-flight closer.
“I feel really strong, and the ball is jumping out of my hand like I’m used to,” he said.
As for the specter of pitching at Coors Field, Holland said, “it simply doesn’t matter to me.”
