Holland savors opportunity to win rotation job

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. » As many of the most valuable free agent starting pitchers struggled to attract interest this offseason, other players simply looking for a chance to prove they can still record outs also waited for calls, which never came for some.

Nine-year veteran Derek Holland said he didn’t feel the sting of this year’s slow- developing free agent market, but he’s in a different place than the Jake Arrietas and Lance Lynns of the world.

After signing a five-year, $28.5 million contract extension with the Texas Rangers ahead of the 2012 season, Hollandwas poised to develop into one of the American League’s most reliable young arms. Instead, injuries wiped out critical portions of the lefthander’s prime years, and at 31 years old, all his offseason wish list consisted of was a chance to compete for a job with a major league team.

“I can’t really say too much, those guys have been doing their job the whole time,” Holland said, when asked about this year’s free agent class. “I was in a different position than those guys. They’re going for big time contracts, I’m just trying to make a team. So it wasn’t the same, I can’t really compare to those guys.”

After posting a 3.26 ERA in 33 starts with the Rangers in 2013, Holland made just 30 total starts over the next three seasons. When Texas declined his $11.5 million option for 2017, Holland signed with the Chicago White Sox but was released in September after posting a 6.20 ERA in 29 games.

While marquee free agent pitchers are still holding their ground in anticipation of lucrative contracts, Holland joined the Giants on Feb. 9 on a minor league contract. He’s now part of a large crew of pitchers jostling for a spot in a starting rotation that has two vacancies to fill. Second-year hurlers Chris Strat- ton and Ty Blach are considered front-runners for those two jobs, however, they’ll need to outperform prospects Tyler Beede and Andrew Suarez, as well as Holland, to secure the right to pitch every fifth day.

“You’ll see some of them coming out of the bullpen, it’s just not possible to throw them all in the rotation,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “You’ll see some of them piggyback, but at the same time, I’d like to see some of them come in on a one-inning situation or maybe with men on base, cause we’re going to keep our options open here and when we break camp, you may see a surprise or two, we’ll see.”

With Will Smith targeting a May 1 return from elbow ligament reconstruction surgery, the Giants are short on left-handed reliever options. If Blach earns a starting nod, Holland could force his way into the 25-man roster conversation by locking down left-handed hitters out of the bullpen this spring, an option he says for which he’ll re- main open.

“I mean, I’m just happy to have the opportunity,” Holland said. “I get to have the chance to compete, and obviouslymy number one goal is to go as a starter and if that falls through, I have to worry about trying to be a reliever. The main thing is just taking it day-by- day. I’ve got this opportunity, I’ve got to take advantage of it and do what I can to be a part of this team.”

Bochy said in the coming days, he’ll have a chance to sit down with Holland and discuss the different roles he might be able to play as the spring unfolds. Holland signed with the Giants knowing that relieving was a possibility, and given his ability to extend over multiple innings, he could provide value for San Francisco as a long reliever, spot starter or left-handed specialist.

• Minor leaguers don’t survive on much, but there is one item they have a surplus of: Baseball gear.

So when devastating fires broke out in the North Bay last fall, one Giants prospect came up with an idea. Determined to aid the families affected, many of whom lost everything, but short on a six-figure salary to make a hefty financial donation, pitcher Tyler Cyr spearheaded an effort to donate baseball equipment to young athletes.

“Imagine if your house was gone, but not just your house, the baseball facility or the field that you played at was gone,” Cyr said. “So I just tried to make the transition into a normal life easier for the kids. And I think the easiest way for me to do that being a minor leaguer with not that many assets is to just give back gear. Try to raise a fundraiser to get donations for money and the next thing you know it took off on social media.”

The Fremont native helped raise $70,000 for fire victims and participated in a clinic in Santa Rosa in January where young athletes received $250 gift cards and access to gear donated by Cyr, teammates and other players.