The last we heard from Derek Holland, he was finishing off his rookie season which ended with a 6.126 ERA and a 1.4989 WHIP.  Hardly the rookie of the year numbers many scouts were expecting from him.  Coming into 2010, the hard throwing lefty (who set the Texas Rangers record for fewest pitches thrown in a shutout with 96 last season) didn’t even make the team out of spring training.  However at Triple A Oklahoma City this season he dominated with a 4-1 record, a .93 ERA, and 37 strikeouts in 38 innings pitched.  Those stats along with an injury to Rangers starter Matt Harrison opened the door for last nights start by Holland against the A’s, and all he did was continue to dominate.  Holland pitched six shutout innings, walking one while fanning seven.  Even through his rough patches last season, I was impressed by his work, and if he keeps this up, the job may be his even when Harrison returns from the DL.  All you fantasy geeks should keep an eye on him. 

Other Notes From Yesterdays Games:

• Javier Vasquez didn’t suck yesterday , finally.  Vasquez pitched eight solid innings giving up two earned runs and striking out seven in the day part of a day/night double header.  Hapless Javy still took the loss however, as Rick Porcello pitched equally as well, baffling the Bombers bats in a 2-0 loss for the Yanks.
• Phil Hughes continued his dominating 2010 season by throwing seven shutout innings while striking out eight and walking only one.  The Yankees bats finally came alive in the ninth inning, cementing the win by adding six runs to the two that the Bombers had already put on the board. 
• Homer Baily continued where Johnny Cueto left off by tossing the second complete game shutout in a row for the Reds, giving up only four hits and fanning six.  The day before, Cueto was only a hit away from a perfect game against the Pirates.  This just goes to show that Pittsburgh is actually fantasy relevant – if you have pitchers going up against them!
• As someone who loves hip-hop about as much as baseball, I was happy to see the announcement by Jay-Z and Eminem yesterday that they will each be headlining concerts in their respective hometowns.  Jay-Z will open up for Eminem September 2nd at Comerica Park in Eminem’s hometown Detroit, and on September 13th, Eminem will open for Jay-Z in his native NYC at Yankee Stadium.  It will be the first concert ever at the new Yankee Stadium.