Holder Starting in NYY Minors

[TheRef]

Apparently Holder is starting for the Staten Island Yankees.

Jim Ellis
@jimellismsu
Jonathan Holder now with Staten Island in NY Penn league, in Sunday start pitches 3 shutout innings, gives 4 hits, no BB's, 1 K...

8:50pm ? 6 Jul 2014 ? Twitter Web Client

[KB21]

Teams will do this with college relievers a lot. Stretch them out and get them used to it, and then make the move back to the pen. I will not be surprised if they stretch Jacob Lindgren out as well.

[Pioneer Dawg]

Lindgren pitched 1 inning at rookie ball with 2 K's.

Moved to A ball and has thrown 2 innings with 4 K's. 1 HBP and 2 WP though.

[Pioneer Dawg]

Woodruff off to a good start.. 7 IP... 6 K.. 3 BB… 4 H… 1 ER

[Coach34]

Teams will do this with college relievers a lot. Stretch them out and get them used to it, and then make the move back to the pen. I will not be surprised if they stretch Jacob Lindgren out as well.

I think the plan with Holder KB is to make him a SP.

[mic]

I think the plan with Holder KB is to make him a SP.

Correct

[msstate7]

I think the plan with Holder KB is to make him a SP.

Wonder what pitch they're gonna try and teach him. Surely he needs another pitch

[TheRef]

Wonder what pitch they're gonna try and teach him. Surely he needs another pitch

Well he has a 4-seam FB and a 12-6 CB. Maybe a 2-seam or a slider?

[msstate7]

Well he has a 4-seam FB and a 12-6 CB. Maybe a 2-seam or a slider?
Gonna need something. I don't think he makes it without 1 as a starter

[TheRef]

Gonna need something. I don't think he makes it without 1 as a starter

Better baseball minds could probably decide which would be best for JH to learn.

[Dawg61]

Most effective pitch besides a well placed fastball is the changeup.

[thf24]

Most effective pitch besides a well placed fastball is the changeup.

That's what my limited baseball knowledge has been telling me. Seems like the minimum required pitches for a conventional starting pitcher to be successful in the big leagues are a fastball, curve ball, and changeup. It's hard for me to see Holder being a successful starting pitcher in the long run without a changeup.

[Coach34]

Supposedly he already throws a change- just didn't use it hardly ever as a
closer

[msstate7]

Supposedly he already throws a change- just didn't use it hardly ever as a
closer
Hard to work on a pitch in situations holder was in. Minors don't care about wins and losses

[Johnson85]

I think the plan with Holder KB is to make him a SP.

Is this because his velocity is a little low to be a closer?

[msstate7]

Is this because his velocity is a little low to be a closer?

That would be my guess. You hardly ever see an mlb reliever under 95 now

[War Machine Dawg]

Is this because his velocity is a little low to be a closer?

One would assume so. Although I think with his frame an MLB club will find another 2-3 MPH on his fastball, the way they did with Paps. But Holder needs a 3rd pitch regardless. He was supposedly working on a cutter a little bit last season. And as others have said, there's rumblings he has a change. We'll see what happens with him, but it's going to be interesting. Personally, I think I'd leave him in the pen and have him work on that cutter. The Yankees have had a lot of success with relievers who can throw a cutter. Look no further than Mo Rivera.

[CadaverDawg]

I could have sworn I saw numerous posts about him throwing a splitter this season. I thought I even saw an interview with him where he mentioned it, but I may be mistaken.

[Homedawg]

I could have sworn I saw numerous posts about him throwing a splitter this season. I thought I even saw an interview with him where he mentioned it, but I may be mistaken.

He was throwing a cutter during the year but not often.

[msstate7]

One would assume so. Although I think with his frame an MLB club will find another 2-3 MPH on his fastball, the way they did with Paps. But Holder needs a 3rd pitch regardless. He was supposedly working on a cutter a little bit last season. And as others have said, there's rumblings he has a change. We'll see what happens with him, but it's going to be interesting. Personally, I think I'd leave him in the pen and have him work on that cutter. The Yankees have had a lot of success with relievers who can throw a cutter. Look no further than Mo Rivera.

Rivera cutter ain't happening, but I agree with your point

[Dawg61]

Rivera cutter ain't happening, but I agree with your point

Yankees should pay Mo a mill each year to teach one guy his secrets. He hasn't said his true secrets yet. It's such a brilliant pitch. It's like a 92 mph mini-knuckleball.

[shoeless joe]

Gotta be a change up if he's gonna start. A cutter really wouldn't add what he would need to start. A split could do the trick also but I would still add a change. Even tho his curve is big league if that's the only off speed he has it will be extremely difficult to be a starter, if that's what they're wanting to do. I also don't think he will be a big league closer.

On a side note his mechanics are very favorable to add to the deception of the straight change.

[Todd4State]

Yankees should pay Mo a mill each year to teach one guy his secrets. He hasn't said his true secrets yet. It's such a brilliant pitch. It's like a 92 mph mini-knuckleball.

I'm sure that they are going to use Rivera as a "spring training instructor" like most teams do with their legends.

Their job is to pretty much show up to spring training, wear a uniform, sign autographs for fans, hang out with the players and teach them little tidbits- like the Rivera cutter, and then go hang out at fancy restaurants at the end of the day.

[Dawg61]

I'm sure that they are going to use Rivera as a "spring training instructor" like most teams do with their legends.

Their job is to pretty much show up to spring training, wear a uniform, sign autographs for fans, hang out with the players and teach them little tidbits- like the Rivera cutter, and then go hang out at fancy restaurants at the end of the day.

I doubt Rivera has told anybody his secret. There's something he does that is his own adaptation to the pitch that made it so effective for him and he might take that to the grave.

[Pioneer Dawg]

There is no secret. Rivera says his cutter is a gift from God. Mechanically I read where his long arms, long fingers and flexible wrists are the key. He is able to generate much more spin than most pitchers.

Kenley Jansen throws an extremely nasty one too.

[Coach34]

On a side note his mechanics are very favorable to add to the deception of the straight change.

yes

And knowing his HS coach like I do, I'm sure he was taught one at Gulfport