KANSAS CITY, MO - JUNE 6: Reliever Greg Holland #56 of the Kansas City Royals throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays at Kauffman Stadium on June 5, 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by G. Newman Lowrance/Getty Images)
Players need roles. They need to know they're the leadoff hitter, the utility guy or one of the worst starting pitchers in the history of the game.
This is especially true in the modern bullpen. You have your long man, mop-up guy, LOOGY, ROOGY, seventh inning guy who pitches with a lead, eighth inning guy who pitches with a lead and Closer.
And with Jonathan Broxton heading to Cincinnati, the Royals have a new Closer.
Hello, Greg Holland.
Holland seems a natural fit for the closer role.
He owns a 12.7 SO/9, best rate on the team. He has a track record over the previous couple of seasons of dominance. His performance since returning from an early season visit to the DL has been mostly outstanding. Over his last 34 games covering 33.1 innings, he has a 2.16 ERA with 46 strikeouts and 19 walks. Hey, I'd like the command to be better, but you can't have everything.
The Royals bullpen has been a strength, so that means there's no shortage of candidates. Now, put yourself in the manager's shoes. Broxton is gone... Who is your choice for closer?
Poll
Who should be the Royals next Closer?
Tim Collins (14 votes)
Aaron Crow (31 votes)
Kelvin Herrera (69 votes)
Greg Holland (199 votes)
313 total votes
There are 46 Comments. Load Now.
Shortcuts to mastering the comment thread. Use wisely.
C - Next Comment
X - Mark as Read
R - Reply
Z - Mark Read & Next
Shift + C - Previous
Shift + A - Mark All Read
Comment Settings
Live comment alert: Hide it!
Comments for this post are closed.