- 2 days ago
Derek Holland joined K&C Masterpiece and shared his excitement for Rangers baseball and the feeling of Opening Day. Holland shared some hot takes on Wyatt Langford’s MVP trajectory, Josh Smith’s potential, and the expectations of the pitching rotation. He also analyzed the implementation of the ABS system, the importance of chemistry, and more.
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00:00Right now, we bring to you former Texas Rangers pitcher, lover of charity, and lover of the K&C
00:07masterpiece. It is indeed Derek Holland. Happy opening day, sir. Happy opening day to you, too.
00:16But first, I do got to say, I hope everything's okay with Corey praying for him and his family.
00:20They just told me how he had to leave the show, and now you're solo today.
00:25The way it always was meant to be, you know what I'm saying?
00:28Yeah, it's just me and you time.
00:31All right. So, I have to know, and we talked with Kyle Gibson about this earlier,
00:38what's that feeling for opening day, and what do you think it is about MLB opening day
00:45that just feels like it stands out so much more than any of the other major sports?
00:51I wouldn't say it stands out more than any of the other major sports.
00:54I mean, I always get excited for, you know, hockey opening night. I think that's one of my favorites.
00:59But it's just like you get that feeling like a little kid, again, getting ready for Christmas,
01:04going to sneak down and open the presents. You know, you're just excited. No sleep.
01:07Especially when you get the opportunity to start. You know, I had our opening day when it came to,
01:12well, it wasn't our actual opening day. It was the home opener.
01:16But, you know, it's just one of those great feelings of being able to get out there in front of
01:19the fans
01:20and the season's starting, and you're amped up to see what's going to happen for this year.
01:24Again, like I could use, for example, this year's pretty hype around the Rangers with, you know,
01:29I feel like we have one of the best pitching staffs out there.
01:31And then, obviously, the offense. I think we're going to turn things around.
01:34You've got a few guys that help out with the leadership in the clubhouse, too.
01:37And you've got good guys like Danny Jansen back behind the dish, which, excuse me, played with him.
01:44And great leader, great catcher back there, too. Calls a great game.
01:48I think he's going to make a great addition to this staff as well, helping out.
01:53Now, you were firing off. I know they asked for hot takes.
01:57And you had plenty of hot Rangers takes this morning.
02:00Can we go through them again, one by one, if people missed them on your socials?
02:06Yeah, I'm going to try to make sure I get it right.
02:08I do know I don't want to take credit for one of them.
02:11One of them is from one of our coaches on the staff here with UTD,
02:14saying that Langford's going to be an MVP candidate.
02:18He's definitely going to be in the top five.
02:20I can see that.
02:21I think he's going to have a really good year.
02:24I think another thing is I'd like to see Smith is going to definitely have himself a year.
02:30He's going to put his name out on the map.
02:32He's been showing flashes of it, everything.
02:35You look at last year, I think he's going to definitely break out this year.
02:37It becomes a big target.
02:39I think he has a great year for the team, pitching staff-wise.
02:43Pause, pause, pause, pause, pause, pause, pause.
02:46Let me go back to Josh Smith for just one second.
02:48I'm not necessarily saying for you, but surely you have seen this over the years.
02:54What kind of pressure comes along when you have to take over for somebody who has built a hell of
03:01a career,
03:01like Marcus Simeon has?
03:03What kind of pressure does that put on somebody?
03:07I don't feel like he's going to put too much pressure on him.
03:09I mean, he's gone in there and filled in when needed to.
03:12You know, when guys were hurt, he was the guy that would step up and be out there.
03:15So I don't think this is going to be something where it's pressure for him.
03:19I think it's more of like, okay, now I have the opportunity.
03:21It's my everyday job.
03:22Now I'm going to go take care of it.
03:24Okay, okay.
03:25And then back for Langford real quick.
03:27The betting odds on him are only 23.5 home runs and 70.5 RBIs.
03:34Would you think those would be totals that he can not only maybe surpass, but maybe surpass by quite a
03:40bit?
03:41Yeah, I would definitely take the over if that was me.
03:44I think he will pass that.
03:45I would like to say for home run-wise, I think this is going to be a good year for
03:48him.
03:49I think we're going to see around 35 home runs.
03:51Woo!
03:52Love it.
03:53All right, pitching staff.
03:55Yes.
03:56Now, as I was saying in there before, I was rudely interrupted.
03:59Oh, come on.
04:02I got, I feel DeGrom's going to get back to the old video game style numbers.
04:07He's going to be carving up the world.
04:09Definitely Cy Young candidate.
04:11Same thing with Nasty Nate.
04:12I think you're going to have those guys setting the tone.
04:15Gore's going to do an outstanding job.
04:16Leiter, I think, is going to take a massive step forward.
04:19He's going to be huge for this rotation.
04:21That's why I feel, for me personally, this is going to be one of the best rotations in baseball, hands
04:25down.
04:25At the risk of, I'm not trying to make you upset, and I hope this doesn't count as an interruption
04:31again,
04:32can I ask you another Jack Leiter question?
04:35Yeah, of course.
04:36Okay.
04:37So, let's see what you got.
04:38Jack Leiter leveled up last year.
04:41When a starting pitcher makes a big improvement, like you did in 2011,
04:46how do you make sure you can keep that upward trajectory going?
04:51I think it comes from your staff as well, just having that chemistry with each other.
04:54Or don't try to overdo it.
04:56You know, you've seen what you've been able to do the previous year,
04:59and sometimes with tendencies, we want to make more.
05:01Or not make more, but we want to do more.
05:03It's just like, why not stick to what's been working for us?
05:06It's the same thing, you know, you kind of tell your pitchers as well.
05:09You know, you get two strikes, don't try to overthrow it.
05:11Stay within yourself.
05:12That's the hardest thing to do in this game.
05:14So, for Leiter, just go out there and just be Leiter.
05:16Don't try to be something else.
05:17Go out there and do your job.
05:19Take care of business one pitch at a time.
05:21He's already got an electric fastball.
05:22An electric.
05:27Oh, no.
05:28He just went away.
05:30Are you there?
05:30No, I didn't.
05:31Am I here?
05:32Yeah, you are here now.
05:34Oh, man.
05:35I just gave a whole lot of great stuff.
05:37Yeah, I'll bet.
05:39You want me to try it again?
05:41Yeah.
05:41I mean...
05:42Okay, cool.
05:43Either that or we're hanging up on you and calling Sean Tolleson.
05:46No, you're not going to do that.
05:47That would be awkward.
05:48But I think with Leiter, just go out there.
05:51Just be yourself.
05:52Don't try to overdo it.
05:53Don't try to put more pressure on yourself.
05:54Just stay within yourself and just stick to the plan.
05:58Stick to what's been working for you.
06:00You've got an electric fastball to begin with.
06:02It's going to play with his off-speed as well.
06:04You just said something along with all of that that was really intriguing to me.
06:08Kind of the pitching camaraderie or the staff camaraderie.
06:12Why is that important?
06:15You guys just feed off of each other.
06:17It's like a friendly competition of trying to be better than the other guy when he goes
06:20out there every single time.
06:22Your mate goes out and throws nine innings or eight innings as the next guy.
06:27It's like, man, I want to go out there and I want to go for nine.
06:29You want to try to compete against each other in that way.
06:32Or seeing, oh, he gives up two runs.
06:34Well, let me see if I can give up one run.
06:36It's those contests that you have as a starting rotation that helps you guys that much better.
06:41I know back when we were playing, Matt Harrison and Colby and CJ, they did such a good job
06:46of setting that tone for us all to compete against each other.
06:49I know every single person will, kind of with that in mind, do you ever feel like you've
06:55let some of those competitive people down or you've let your team down?
07:00Yeah, you're going to have moments.
07:02I mean, you're going out there competing and sometimes you just don't have your best stuff.
07:05I mean, I've gone out there and things definitely didn't go my way.
07:08And I know I let my team down, but the thing is, I also got picked up by my other
07:11guys
07:12that stepped up for me to maybe take away maybe a no decision or something like that.
07:17So it's just all about being there and supporting your guys, but also trying to set the tone
07:20to help the other guys out.
07:21Now, we're talking with Derek Holland right here on 105.3 The Fan.
07:25You have a ton of personality.
07:27Perhaps on the absolute opposite end of the spectrum is Paul Skeens, who was asked about
07:35opening the season in New York and if it was special to him.
07:38And he said, and I quote, maybe a little, it's kind of chilly.
07:46I mean, yeah, that's...
07:52I don't know how to really respond to that.
07:54Yeah, right?
07:56It's out there.
07:57I mean, he's just definitely one of those guys that's just so serious all the time,
08:01which is great.
08:02It works for certain guys.
08:03You know, I have to be somebody that's more laid back and goofy, but at the same time,
08:07I know we would both have the same mentality when we're on the mound is, you know, we want
08:12to get these guys out.
08:13Obviously, he has Cy Young stuff and I have not so much Cy Young stuff.
08:19You're a Cy Young in my heart.
08:20How about that?
08:21You're the best.
08:23There you go.
08:24And I loved you in Dumb and Dumber, too.
08:27So...
08:27See, that's something he didn't do.
08:29And that's a good point.
08:30That is a very good point.
08:32Now, I know some of these were hot takes, but when you look at the big picture, do you
08:36view this Rangers team as a playoff team?
08:40Yeah, that was one of the takes, too, as I put out there.
08:43It's really going to come down, in my opinion, to Seattle and them.
08:47I think Texas is going to end up taking it away, though.
08:49Our pitching staff is definitely better than theirs, is how I feel.
08:52They do have a strong staff, but I think it's going to come down.
08:55We'll probably get a couple key pieces towards the All-Star break that's going to add.
09:00I would say probably more to the bullpen.
09:02The back end of the bullpen is probably my biggest, I guess, question mark, seeing how
09:06that's going to go.
09:07But again, I think that the Rangers come down to the final series.
09:11They win.
09:11They get their up by one game against Seattle.
09:13But Seattle is the biggest threat, I feel like, in that division.
09:16I don't see too much from Houston.
09:18I mean, they'll be around.
09:19I think they'll fade away.
09:21I think Anaheim's completely out of it.
09:23And then I just don't see too much from Oakland as well, either.
09:27But they are usually good with their pitching.
09:28I think that's the bigger key.
09:30Now, since I like you so much, I'm going to give you the opportunity for a choose-your-own-adventure
09:35on this next question.
09:36Would you like a baseball question or a baseball question that might be filled with some emotions
09:43for you?
09:45You know, let's just give fans what they want.
09:48Let's give them some emotions.
09:49Okay.
09:50All right.
09:50You're excited about opening day.
09:53And I know, actually, right, you just hopefully finished your bus trip because you're coaching
09:58with UTD.
10:00But is opening day ever kind of a bittersweet moment for you?
10:04Because you did so much.
10:06But I know the competitive fire you still have in you.
10:08You still want to be out there.
10:11Oh, 100%.
10:12I would love to be out there.
10:13You know, I get to throw the kids here at UTD sometimes.
10:16And I've got that competitive edge at times.
10:19It's like, I've got to remember, you're not here to get these guys out.
10:22You're here to help them hit.
10:23So throw it down the middle and let them hit it.
10:26But it's, you know, at the same time, having the coaching size, you know, I'm trying to
10:30pass the knowledge on to these guys to help them to be successful to get to the next level.
10:33So it's still having that competitive edge.
10:36But then sometimes you've got to remember, you can't do anything.
10:38You're not playing.
10:39You just are giving them advice and you're trying to help them to be successful.
10:43Did you teach them how to fart into a bottle, too?
10:46100% we're going to do fart bottle roulette very soon.
10:49Okay.
10:50That's the good kind of information I'm here for.
10:52Hey, what do you think about, now that we're finally going to see it, the ABS system at the
10:59major league level in a regular season, in regular season games?
11:03I mean, it's great.
11:04You know, it's funny as I, you know, I saw the comment that the one umpire is like, well,
11:07this isn't cool.
11:08This is out here.
11:09We don't want to be embarrassed in front of 32,000.
11:12It's like, well, you know what?
11:13At the same time, we don't want to be embarrassed, too, by your terrible call to where it causes
11:17us to get sent down.
11:18Or maybe I give up a mammoth shot.
11:20Like, I'm not trying to be embarrassed on the mound either.
11:23That's part of it.
11:24You know, your job's called balls and strikes to try to keep it as close as possible.
11:27That's the key.
11:28And we're all going to make mistakes anyway.
11:30So, it's going to show how good some of these hitters are when it comes to calling, you
11:34know, or seeing the zone.
11:36Same thing with the catchers and pitchers, too.
11:38I think that's huge.
11:39And, you know, we're going to see as well as the strike zone, which, again, is something
11:43that I've had a lot of people talking to me about, is it's literally a belt to the knees.
11:48And, you know, it just shows that we've got to keep the ball down.
11:51That's the biggest key is, as a pitcher, keep the ball down, hopefully get the calls.
11:55But I love this new system.
11:57And we're going to see how it works out for them.
11:59But at the same time, it's going to be very interesting.
12:01You're going to see a lot of calls getting overturned.
12:05Could it make the umpires better?
12:08Yeah, I would think it would.
12:10It's kind of like, you know, starting to know the zone a little bit better.
12:13Like, oh, you call this one a ball.
12:14But next time it comes through, it's like, man, I knew it was close.
12:17But now I know that's actually a strike.
12:19So I think it's going to help them improve, too.
12:22All right.
12:22Now, I want to get your take on this.
12:24We haven't talked about this yet today.
12:26What do you think about the fact that the new name of the stadium for the Dodgers is the
12:34Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium?
12:40Politics.
12:42Oh, man, you better not.
12:45No, I wouldn't.
12:46I know better.
12:48I just miss the old names of ballparks.
12:51I think it would be cool if we could ever get back to that, you know, simple things like
12:55the polo grounds.
12:56And I know, you know, just names like Comiskey Park.
13:00You know, those are things that I feel like we're missing.
13:02Now it's, you know, I don't even know, Big Lots Ballpark or whatever.
13:08It's like we're just kind of taken away from the creative, cool side of it.
13:11What else do you miss from baseball?
13:14Playing.
13:15Okay.
13:16Being out there.
13:17Besides that, do you still hate the pitch clock?
13:22Have you realized you were wrong about that yet?
13:25I'm not, but yes and no.
13:27I'll stand my ground.
13:28I just, again, it shouldn't be a rush.
13:30I get it.
13:30It's for the guys that go slow, but the guys that don't, I mean, I'd rather be able to
13:35have a little bit of time.
13:36You know, if I fall behind 2-0, I can take a quick breather, throw strikes, throw a quality
13:40pitch, not a rush pitch.
13:42Or, you know, it's not about quantity.
13:44It's about quality.
13:45How's UTD's baseball team looking so far?
13:48We are awesome right now.
13:51We did take down the number 20 team in the nation, Angelo State.
13:55Nice.
13:56Now we're heading down to the border, and we're going to go play down there against Texas
14:02A&M International, and we're going to see if we can make sure to take care of business
14:06there as well.
14:06All right.
14:07I love it, man.
14:08And I love you.
14:09Thank you so much for jumping on with us.
14:12As always, you're great.
14:14I appreciate you guys.
14:16As always, again, praying for Corey and his family.
14:18I hope everything's okay.
14:20Happy opening day to the fans.
14:22I'm excited.
14:23Can't wait to talk to you guys.
14:24See you guys out there at the park.
14:26And let's go Rangers.
14:27When's the only been seen in the we плохо?
14:27Listen to that.
14:27I love you.
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