Holland Looking to Make Personal History

Since coming up with the Rangers in 2009 and making 21 starts as a 22-year-old, Derek Holland has been a model of inconsistency.

There's complete games. There's one-inning outings. There's seven innings and a win. There's two innings with six walks and five hits. You get the idea.

This year has been no different for Holland. He had a complete game shutout, he had a game on July 2 in which he failed to get out of the first inning against the Florida Marlins.

But since that embarrassment, Holland has been phenomenal, throwing two straight complete game shutouts against, albeit, two anemic offenses in the Oakland A's and Seattle Mariners. But still, they were complete game shutouts, nonetheless.

Nine hits, 15 strikeouts and three walks in 18 innings pitched. Not too shabby.

Tonight is the time when Holland will be recognized as perhaps having turned things around in his 51st career start, or it's the time when people will say "oh, there's Derek Holland."

Holland has never, ever made three straight quality starts, which is when a pitcher goes at least six innings and gives up three or fewer earned runs. A quality start really isn't that great of a thing, and Holland's never made three straight.

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He has that chance Wednesday against AL West foe Los Angeles Angels in the middle of a division race, and he has that chance against a great pitcher in the Angels' Dan Haren.

Rangers fans shouldn't expect another complete game from Holland, but after the stuff he's shown in his previous two starts, they should expect a strong start of at least seven innings.

If Holland can come through, it might be a sign of some great things to come. If he can't, it really won't be a surprise.

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