3 free agents the St Louis Cardinals should avoid post-lockout

Derek Holland

At one time, it would have been intriguing to see a reunion between Derek Holland and Cardinals pitching coach Mike Maddux.

The pair worked together during their time with the Texas Rangers. During the 2011 World Series, Holland was seemingly a constant recipient of the

claw

calming hand Maddux uses to get a sense of how his pitcher is feeling on the mound.

It would have been fun to see, but Holland’s effectiveness has dropped significantly.

The lefty spent the 2021 season with the Detroit Tigers. He uses a sinker, a four-seam fastball, a curveball, and a changeup. Holland’s sinker averages 93.1 mph with a vertical drop of 17.5-inches and an active spin of 99%. But his curveball averages 81.4 mph with a vertical drop of 37.7-inches and an active spin of 18%.

It will be interesting to see what happens for Holland once baseball activities resume post-lockout. He could easily get a minor league deal to work on his stuff. If he does receive a major league deal it would have to be short-term and incentive-based.