The Phillies announced the former major leaguer Al Holland you have passed. He was 73 years old.
Holland was born in Roanoke, Virginia in 1952. After graduating from high school, Holland attended North Carolina A&T State University, historically located in Greensboro, North Carolina. He played baseball and football for the Aggies. His baseball performance led to interest in the ranks. Holland was drafted by the Rangers in 1974 and by the Padres in 1975, but chose to stay in college in both cases. He later signed with the Pirates as an undrafted free agent.
He had the shortest major league game in 1977, appearing in two games for the Bucs, allowing two earned runs in 2 1/3 innings. He was then kept in the minors throughout the 1978 and early 1979 seasons. In June of 1979, he was traded to the Giants, along with Fred Breining again Ed Whitsonbecause Bill Madlock, Lenny Randle again Dave Roberts.
With the Giants that year, Holland got another brief taste of the majors, making three scoreless appearances. He emerged as a full-time big league reliever in 1980, pitching 82 1/3 innings for San Francisco in 54 appearances. He allowed just 1.75 runs over nine innings and collected seven saves. He finished tied for seventh in the National League Rookie of the Year voting.
He continued to produce solid results in the Giants’ bullpen for two more seasons. He posted a 2.41 ERA in 1981, throwing 100 2/3 innings although that season was interrupted by a nearly two-month strike. In 1982, he pitched 129 2/3 innings with a 3.33 ERA. He added 12 more saves in those two campaigns.
The second trade of his career preceded the 1983 season. Holland again Joe Morgan were turned over to the Phillies CL Penigar, Mark Davis again Mike Krukow. The move to Philadelphia allowed Holland to be closer to the native. He earned 25 saves in 1983, posting a 2.26 ERA in 91 2/3 innings for the Phils.
The Phillies won the National League East, giving Holland a chance to play in the postseason for the first time. The Phils topped the Dodgers in the NLCS, and Holland recorded the last out of that series, before falling to the Orioles in the World Series. He did not allow an earned run in 6 2/3 innings during those playoff games. He won the Rolaids Relief Fireman of the Year award in NL that year, which he shared Lee Smith.
Holland saved 29 more games in 1984 but the Phillies went 81-81 that year, although Holland was named to the All-Star team that season. During the 1985 campaign, he was sold twice. The former sent him back to the Pirates, too Frankie Griffinbecause Kent Tekulve. He was traded to the Angels a few months later, on the sideline John Candelaria again George Hendrickbecause Mike Brown, Pat Clements and a player to be named later, who was eventually named Bob Kipper. Between those three teams, Holland posted a 2.90 ERA in 87 innings.
He became a free agent after that season but his situation was complicated by what became known as the “Pittsburgh drug trials”, related to the use of cocaine by professional baseball players. Holland was one of several players who received a 60-day suspension for cocaine use, although all suspensions were commuted to fines and community service.
He signed with the Yankees and pitched in both 1986 and 1987. His ERA rose to 5.09 in the first of those. He spent most of last season in the minors, playing in only three big league games, allowing 10 earned runs in 6 1/3 innings.
That was his last season as a senior player. In all, he appeared in 384 games over ten major league seasons. He pitched 646 innings with a 2.98 ERA, 513 strikeouts and 78 saves. After his playing days were done, he coached at the high school level and for small teams. We at MLBTR send our condolences to his family and friends, and to everyone in the baseball world who is mourning him today.
Photo courtesy of Stan Szeto, Imagn Images
