The Cubs announced today that they have acquired lefty Derek Holland from the Giants. To create roster space, fellow southpaw Tim Collins was designated for assignment.
Holland had recently been designated himself by the San Francisco organization. He was playing on a deal that promises him $6.5MM this year and a $500K buyout on a $7MM club option (which also includes some escalators). Today’s trade, humorously, involves “a cash consideration” heading in both directions. Precisely how the sides have sorted the financials isn’t yet clear, but it seems fair to presume that the Cubs will pick up a small portion of the two-and-a-half million or so remaining on the tab.
The Chicago organization continues to cycle through lefty relievers. When Collins signed his modest, $850K deal, the club dropped Brian Duensing from its 40-man despite a $3.5MM salary. Now, the team will give Holland a look in a relief capacity.
It’s not surprising to see Holland land on his feet despite his struggles this year. The 32-year-old washed out of the San Francisco rotation after seven starts, as he failed to follow up a quality 2018 season. His ability to throw multiple innings as a long man or starter is still of appeal, particularly for a Cubs team that recently parted with Mike Montgomery.
The real appeal here, though, is the possibility of using Holland as a situational reliever. While his overall results were hardly exceptional — 5.03 ERA in 34 innings with 29 strikeouts and 15 walks — Holland has shown a velocity boost in the bullpen. Better still, he’s pummeling opposing left-handed batters, who carry a meager .182/.276/.195 batting line in 89 trips to the plate against him this season. Holland has not only induced lots of poor contact, but has drawn grounders from southpaw hitters on more than three of every four balls they put in play.
As for Collins, the 29-year-old hasn’t been tasked with much of a workload in the majors. His swinging-strike rate has dropped from a promising 11.6% rate last year to just 7.5% in his nine appearances in 2019. He has spent most of the year pitching at Triple-A, where he carries a 4.67 ERA with 12.3 K/9 against 5.3 BB/9 with seven long balls marring his stat line.
decent trade for the cubs. Brewers got alot of lefty power in their lineup so this for sure helps them this weekend.
And the baseball world lets out a collective…meh
lol
Hey it’s a start!
Going by his stats, it won’t be a quality start
HAHA
BAM
Hold that thought.
We broke ya know brah.
Yeah, the Cubs are “broke” the same way Pritzker was when he had to remove the toilets from his mansion! 😉
So will Holland take over the swing man lefty spot Montgomery held for years?
Seems likely
Chatwood (though a RHP) has taken over that role
True, never hurts to have too many starters.
Well, it does help to have starters who can get outs without runs being scored against them……
Im unsure if article was updated after your post, but the writer seems to think he could be used as a situational lefty reliever.
I just saw that after I wrote my post, they updated there’s.
That’s usually how it works!
.182/.276/.195 against lefties in 89 PA.
I’m not going to bother researching your numbers I’m sure they’re right but that is one unusual looking triple slash. And I realize it’s only 89 plate appearances against lefty batters but what he’s given up like 15 hits with 14 being singles? I guess that’s something.
Not quite the earth shattering trade though to kick-start the trade dominoes from falling!
1 double, 13 singles, 9 walks and 18 strikeouts.
He just needs to stay away from right handers; they’re slashing .293/.386/.636 in 219 PA.
the giants announcers jon miller and dave fleming were saying on the radio in the outing against the mets that ultimately got him released, that they couldnt recall the last time they saw splits that extreme in baseball. he is dominant against lefties and then god awful vs righties. only 1 extra base hit allowed to lefties in 89 at bats and then in like 190 at bats vs righties he has allowed 16 homers. and then promptly after saying that he gives up a 3 run shot to pete alonso
But who hasn’t
I sort of get the feeling there won’t be a big trade, just tweaks
And pretty much very, very good against lefties his whole career. (.620 OPS).
GIGO.
At what cost? Sounds a lot like getting Jorge De La Rosa last year at this time. Emergency starter and decent lefty out of the pen. I had Collins DFAd for Happ’s arrival…now who’s going down?
Same, though Collins was only one of two lefties so I was leaning toward Almora or Descalso. Almora hasn’t looked the same this year, worse since hit hit that foul ball. Carantini is expendable and has options too.
@cmurphy—-my dream scenario would be for Caratini to be in a package to Pittsbugh in a deal that brings Marte to the Cubs. With Cervelli’s issues and the Pirates having a lot of young outfielders (and Polanco coming back at some point) there can be a package of Caratini and some prospects available. This would get Almora out of the lineup (if he’s not in the package) and a 4th/5th outfielder…get Heyward back in right fulltime and get Bryant back at third fulltime.
Marte is not prototypical but is a better leadoff option than Schwarber, provides a better bat against lefties and can hold his own defensively until late came situations when he can probably shift to left.
All the angst about all the Cubs weaknesses, centerfield is, to me, the darkest of holes because it weakens them at other positions as well (rf/3b).
Mike 127- Caratini and a big package of prospects. Plus they’d probly have to overpay being in the same division. Love to have him but…
Almora hasn’t really played well since that foul ball. Kinda saw that coming.
They still have multiple guys that they can choose from for Happ: Caratini, Wick, DESCALSO (dfa), etc. Whomever player #24 on the depth charge is will not be a huge loss for Happ.
Could be delayed a day if Holland is not activated tonight.
Please let it be Descalso
This is exactly the kind of under the radar type trade that might look better later on. People said ‘meh’ when the Giants acquired Scutaro, and we all know how well that worked out.
At least he does a really good Harry Caray impersonation.
Ask him to do his Asian-American impersonation, it goes over very well.
It was all in good fun until some millennials saw it and got all butthurt. The holier than thou virtue signaling on McCovey Chronicles was par for the course.
just like the holier than thou types that showed up defending a wife beater (russell).
par for the course with the born again types ( i mean, since you’re gonna stereotype a group of people, it means i can as well).
Cripes we live in the United States of the Offended
Neither of our examples are stereotypes, but dead on truths.
i dont get holland and cash considerations for cash considerations. why not just cash considerations from whatever side got more?
My guess is it is conditional on what happens in the future.
^This. One side is likely sending a fixed amount now (likely the Giants to offset his salary), and pending how successful Holland is for the remainder of the year un CHI, the Giants will recieve cash in the future.
thinking it’s that, and possibly if the escalators in buyout goes up, giants will be sending extra cash to cover it (maybe like deal last year for hamels, where the cubs were only on the hook for the option if picked up)
maybe the cubs didnt have change for a hundred
Is he even an upgrade over Tim Collins?
Clearly you didn’t read the post. .182/.276/.195 slash line against LHH.
His overall ERA this year was almost 6. Collins had a low 3 , albeit limited action. It may be a small upgrade. They didn’t even have to give up a prospect. It can’t be too much of an upgrade.
So what happens when you pinch hit with a rh hitter? Smart@$$
Then you take him out…duh. Have you ever heard of the term “LOOGY”? That’s what Holland will be with the Cubs. The Cubs also have another LHP in Kyle Ryan, who can face both RHH and LHH. It’s not rocket science.
Holland could be a situational lefty against a Yelich or Carpenter who wouldn’t be pinch hit for.
My guess is he faces yelich about 10 times down the stretch. Worth every penny
Before you get snarky you may want to check your facts. You say just take him out? Once a pitcher is put into a game he most face at least one batter. Now loogys typically are used in situations where they are pitching to elite LHH who will not be pinch hit for so there is that.
Yes, Collins is AAAA at this point.
no
Collins is not a shutdown reliever vs. LHB. Holland has the potential to be as he has been lights out against them the last couple of years.
Shoulda been Watson or Smith. These lateral moves are stupid
Gotta fill a roster . Maybe Cubs aren’t done ? Smith or Watson to follow ?
Could still make that move
Nobody knows if the Giants are selling yet
This helps them this weekend series
Could still make a bigger move in a couple days
Smith and Watson may not be available yet with the Giants surging like they are.
Smith, no. Watson, more likely. Watson may be the Giants only shot at making a need-for-need trade where they can deal from a position of luxury and not dip too deeply into the farm system.
Nice pickup. Nlcs here we come
Hm. He’s been beaten up pretty badly this year, both as a starter and a reliever. I assume the Cubs didn’t have to give up anything of consequence to get him, which makes it palatable as a buy-low option. Either way, I assume more activity will follow as this will not be enough.
Exactly.
Not worth exchanging Collins for Holland. Make moves to make your team better. Period. Not to kinda maybe he might we’ll see
Beaten up? Early on definitely, but, excluding his last appearance, he’s been decent lately. He had a 3.55 ERA in June. His last start inflated his July ERA to 4.82. But if you exclude that one appearance his ERA would have been 1.08 in July.
It’s all about how effective he is against LHBs.
He’s been facing both LHHs and RHHs. Since June he’s averaged 1 1/3 innings per appearance. There’s no way he faces 4 straight LHHs every time over 22 appearances.
One bum gone,7 to go
Who are the other 6
The start of Derek Holland’s new career path. The next Oliver Perez LOOGY
He will pitch til he is 50 if he learns to embrace it
Except LOOGYs become extinct next year wirh the required 3 batters faced.
That’s why the older fringe SP lefties will brcome so important
They can pitch to multiple batters in an inning
That is a stupid rule coming in by the way
LOOGYS will only exist for another three months, so it’s gonna be a short path.
I don’t think that rule change has been finalized yet. I would like to see the MLB go to 2 hitters in 2020, then maybe 3 in the following year if things work out.
It has been finalized for the 2020 season. Three batter minimum for all entering pitchers unless they end an inning
Also finalized changing the rosters from 25 to 26.
Dutch Holland, get it right guys! Lol! Great clubhouse guys. Hopefully a new look again helps set him on the right track. Whatever you do don’t let him face righties, they hit bombs off him!
Wow! Some of the best numbers in the league vs. lefties. Feels like DeLaRosa last year at this time. Could this be the lefty they talked about?
I doubt they want to carry 3 LH in pen.
Now, go get a bat!
Super exciting deadline…
I know, it’s crazy slow… and boring. I thought for sure the new hard deadline would get things moving quicker on the hot stove. It somehow seems to be having the opposite effect. I have no doubt it will go bananas the last 48 hrs. Right now too many teams don’t know if they’re contenders or pretenders.
Following their new addition of Derek Holland, should his 2019 form continue for the Cubs as it had worked out for the Giants, the Cubs’ pitching coach is planning on utilizing a Tom Collins. And another and another and another,,,,,
Never mistake activity for achievement.
Actually the platoon splits are overblown. He was positively awful early in the season, but clearly turned a corner. His last appearance wasn’t good, but in the 10 prior to that one he was exceptional. In those 10 games he threw 13 1/3 innings giving up 1 tun on 7 hits. That translates to a 0.68 ERA. with a .152 BA against. I have to assume, since he averaged 4 batters per appearance that not everyone was a lefty.
Now we’re rolling, Giants give up on a guy with a almost 6.00 ERA and the Cubs pick him up.
I hope there’s a better move coming because this move excites no one.
He was REALLY effective last year as a starter specifically due to his ability to command the inner half of the plate, that command has not been this year.
Things went completely off the rails for him in an early May start @COL where it was snowing… hard got and he got tattooed for 7 run in 2 innings. This was his first start after a 10 IL and he blasted the front office saying he wasn’t even hurt
He was banished to the bullpen where he struggled rest of May but June and July he was effective as a full inning RP at getting ground balls with a quality K/BB ratio.
SFG deny it but his blowup at the front office played a factor in his DFA. They had a roster crunch and he was the casualty. Front office couldn’t let that Indiscretion slide. They saved a lil cash but added to the market supply + couldn’t even get a lottery ticket player in the deal.
Kind of reminds me of when the Cubs dumped montero after his blowup on arrieta.
This is probably the biggest trade this deadline period so far lol
Maldonado for Montgomery… a little bigger.
People seem to forget that both sides need to agree for trades to happen. A team may have interest in a player but the other team may not want to trade him and therefore, he’s not available. We also see what our favorite team wants/needs without regard for the teams needs.
Thanks, Captain Obvious.
Good point . A lot of fans (me included ) value our players higher than other teams gm and other gm over values theirs . Everyone wants to come out the winner
Happy for Dutch!! Miss him on the Giants, for sure. Team player. Fun guy. Best of luck, buddy!!
Keep stacking up lefties for the pen. You’re not beating the Dodgers in a 7 game series without some lefty depth out of the pen. The 3 in the rotation will be huge come playoff time as well. The Dodgers murder RH pitching. Nice lil move here, giving up no prospects. Keep going Theo!
Dumpster Divin’ Theo!!!
Derek Holland??? Hahahahaha
Ladies and Gentlemen, I now give you the completed National League Champion roster!!!
You like the White Sox.
Can’t all be 10 games below .500 in the AL central. Face palm emoji
Dylan cease -195 at home against Pineda, ouch.
He does a mean Harry Carry impression.
I kind of get it. He’s the type of guy who in the past would have been a decent no-risk, waiver deadline pick up, but since that’s now off the table, the feasting on scraps has to commence a little earlier.
Hopefully they gave up nothing for him.
Yeah, the Cubs are “broke” the same way Pritzker was when he had to remove the toilets from his mansion! 😉
Holland is worth the gamble. Seems low risk. Who knows. It may turn out to be a good move looking at his reasonable success against left hand hitters. But rational thinking dictates Holland will go the way of Carlos Gonzalez.
Dutch is the type who would tank and play horrible to get released. He got his wish. It wouldn’t surprise me if he starts playing effective. I don’t think he is a cancer, but he is certainly a politician type who plays politics.
The Cubs suck. Theo Epstein will trade away your future. Madden is a mad genius prone to stupid blunders. Schwarber should crawl into the ivy and hide—he’d be a better fielder. If I was facing that loon Lester, I’d stack the lineup with speed and bunt on him all day and then steal bases. Hey, thanks for picking up Darvish…great Deal!
The Dutch Oven. It stinks underneath.
Perfect, just the guy we needed
Derek kHolland in Wrigley. On the positive side,, he has one of the absolute best Harry Carey impersonations ever. The guy makes me die laughing with it. Great clubhouse guy. As a Giant fan I liked him better in middle relief. As a starter, he constantly struggled in the first inning.; Giants would always be behind a run or two after the first with Derek on the mound. Better velocity out of the pen. Keep the ball down in Wrigley, Derek.