| Mario Hollands | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1988-08-26)August 26, 1988 (age 37) Oakland, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 1, 2014, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 3, 2014, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 2–2 |
| Earned run average | 4.40 |
| Strikeouts | 35 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Mario Eduardo Lemus Hollands (born August 26, 1988) is an American former professionalbaseball left-handedrelief pitcher. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for thePhiladelphia Phillies in2014.
Hollands playedcollege baseball for theUC Santa Barbara Gauchos, where he earned a degree insociology. The Phillies drafted him in the2010 MLB Draft, and after a few seasons in theirfarm system, they invited him tospring training, in 2014. After performing well in those exhibition games, he made the Phillies' 2014Opening Day roster, and although he walked too many hitters, showed some potential to emerge as a decent relief pitcher. His teammates described him as a good personality in the bullpen, and his coaches approved of his development. Hollands, meanwhile, continued to further his college education, pursuing yet another degree, this time, studyingmerchandise marketing, at theFashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.
Hollands attendedEl Cerrito High School inEl Cerrito, California, where he played for the school's baseball team as apitcher.[1] He then enrolled at theUniversity of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), where he playedcollege baseball for theUC Santa Barbara Gauchos baseball team.
Afterredshirting his first season, he was named theBig West Conference freshman of the year and received placement on the national freshman All-American team in 2008. His sophomore season was less successful and was hampered by a groin injury. TheMinnesota Twins drafted him in the subsequent draft, but he did not sign. He focused on bulking up and improving the velocity of his fastball, which gained about 3 miles per hour (4.8 km/h) thanks to his work. In college, his coaches praised his mental toughness, a key to being a good pitcher.[2]
In 2008, he playedcollegiate summer baseball in theCape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) for theCotuit Kettleers, and returned to the CCBL in 2009 to play for theYarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.[3][4][5]
Hollands went on to have a strong senior season, during which he "was twice named the Big West Pitcher of the Week, twice named the National Pitcher of the Year, and tied a school record with a 16-strikeout performance."[6] He graduated from UCSB with a degree insociology.[7] ThePhiladelphia Phillies selected Hollands in the tenth round of the2010 Major League Baseball Draft.[8]
Hollands pitched for theLakewood BlueClaws of theSingle–ASouth Atlantic League in 2011 and then pitched for Lakewood, theClearwater Threshers of theHigh–AFlorida State League, theReading Phillies of theDouble–AEastern League, and theLehigh Valley IronPigs of theTriple–AInternational League in 2012.[8][9] Essentially, Hollands pitched for "whatever minor-league team required pitching help", which in one case required him to sleep on the living room floor of a shared apartment.[10] Late in the season in Lehigh Valley, he compiled a 9.24earned run average (ERA) in three starts and possessed a fastball that reached only 86 miles per hour (138 km/h), promptingRod Nichols, then Lehigh Valley's pitching coach, and subsequently the Phillies' bullpen coach, to praise Hollands' work ethic, but opine that his pitching repertoire was insufficiently effective.[10] He had a solid 2013 season with Clearwater and Reading,[8][11] recording a 1.56 ERA in 14 games for Clearwater between May 3 and July 10, and then a 4.06 ERA after being promoted to Reading. He then pitched for theTiburones de La Guaira in theVenezuelan Winter League after the season, recording a 2.45 ERA.[12] Phillies' officials credited that experience in Venezuelan winner ball as the impetus for his subsequent success. Hollands commented, "I've just gotten better," while Nichols commented, "He found it."[10]
The Phillies invited Hollands tospring training in 2014.[13] He made the team's Opening Day roster after compiling a 3.09 ERA in nine exhibition appearances.[14] His performance in spring training left Phillies' managerRyne Sandberg and pitching coachBob McClure "smitten," especially considering the fact that he entered spring training as a "veritable unknown."[10] He made his major league debut on April 1, coming into the ninthinning of a tied game.[15] Hollands allowed twowalks, before being relieved byB. J. Rosenberg, who allowed aninherited runner to score. Hollands received theloss.[16] As the season progressed, Hollands was rather streaky, seeing some success in May and June, but experiencing a stretch in July during which he retired only seven of 19 batters, and surrendered six runs. He walked 10.3% of the batters he faced. Ryan Sommers ofCrashburn Alley commented,
"Free passes aside, Hollands demonstrated the ability to generate swings and misses, and had the Goddess of Outcomes been a bit fairer to him, he may have been within spitting distance of league average effectiveness. It’s not impossible to imagine Hollands as a reliable medium leverage reliever — sorry, Ryne, I meant “7th inning guy” — if he can improve his control and be able to attack hitters with his slider more frequently in pitcher’s counts.[17]
Overall, Hollands pitched 50 games and compiled a 4.40 ERA with a 2–2 record.[18]
As spring training 2015 began, Hollands noted that he was not taking a spot in the bullpen for granted and that he expected to compete with several other lefties.[19] During spring training, he strained thecommon flexor tendon in his throwing arm. He underwentTommy John surgery in April, and missed the 2015 season.[20] After completing a rehabilitation assignment, the Philliesoptioned Hollands to Lehigh Valley on June 2, 2016.[21] He was released on May 20, 2017.[22]
A "funky" lefty who "throws hard and looks deceptive," Hollands' fastball hovers around 93 miles per hour (150 km/h) but can modestly exceed that at times, a drastic increase from his velocity while pitching in the minor leagues, and a primary reason for his emergence on the Phillies' major league pitching staff.[10][23] Secondarily, he throws aslider, that "at its peak, can be impressive".[17] At times, he struggles with his control, and issues walks with relative frequency, but as a young pitcher, shows potential to develop if he can avoid nibbling, and focus on directly attacking hitters with better command of his pitches within the strike zone.[17]
Cognizant that there is "life after baseball", in 2013, Hollands enrolled at theFashion Institute of Design & Merchandising to earn a degreemerchandise marketing.[7][24] He notes that fashion has permeated his life; he grew up in theBay Area ofCalifornia, where fashion is "everywhere and a part of everyone's life in some way or another", and worked at anAbercrombie & Fitch store while in high school. He also frequently counsels his teammates on appropriate fashion choices.[24] Fellow relieverJake Diekman characterized Hollands as having a "really good personality for the bullpen ... I don't know, he just hangs out, he's probably the most chill human being I have ever met in my life."[24] He has even instructed fellow relievers on techniques for folding shirts.[10] Despite earningUS$500,000 during his first season,[25] Hollands takes thesubway toCitizens Bank Park for Phillies' games. While on the subway, he applies his degree in sociology by studying Philadelphians and their mannerisms.[24]
