BRIAN HOLLIDAY

6/1/84; '02 12th; Moon Township, PA (HS)
L/L; 6-2, 180

Level
W-L-Sv
G
GS
IP
H
 HR
BB
K
 BB/9 K/9 WHIP OAVG
ERA
2002 R
1-1-1
10
5
33.0
35
 2
18
26
 4.91 7.09 1.61 .282
4.91
2003 R
3-2-0
10
10
51.2
50
 1
22
52
 3.83 9.06 1.39 .255
3.83
2004 A
7-8-0
23
23
113.1
106
 5
54
80
 4.29 6.35 1.41 .251
4.61
2005 A+
5-4-0
19
19
93.1
106
 5
54
39
 5.21
3.76
1.71
.286
5.40
2006 A+
1-5-0
8
7
29.0
43
 3
27
6
 8.38
1.86
2.41
.374
8.38
2006 A
0-3-0
14
2
34.0
49
 6
13
11
 3.44
2.91
1.82
.325
6.62
2006 R
0-0-0
2
2
6.0
3
 0
2
5
 3.00
7.50
0.83
.158
0.00
2007 A+
3-2-0
28
3
69.0
99
 6
37
35
 4.83
4.57
1.97
.337
5.74
2008 AA
1-1-0
3
3
14.1
24
2
4
8
2.51
5.02
1.95
.381
6.91
2008 A+
6-10-0
27
24
125.0
156
13
44
70
3.17
5.04
1.60
.305
5.47

Going into 2005, the Pirates considered Holliday a good prospect, but he's struggled badly since then. He's a LHP whose best pitch is a curve, and he was considered a project when the Bucs drafted him. He had a shaky debut in 2002, struggling with his control at times. After being set back in extended spring training by a broken ankle, he returned to the GCL in 2003. He showed improvement, with a good K rate, but still had control problems in some outings. He also made adjustments that increased the velocity on his fastball to 90. He started 2004 in the Hickory rotation. He continued to be erratic, with control problems at times and a low K rate, but he also had some very good games. He missed some time late in the season with a minor injury.

At Lynchburg in 2005 the wheels came off, as Holliday struggled to throw strikes, got hit hard, and seldom fanned anybody. Holliday has traced his struggles since then to shoulder problems that have landed him on the DL repeatedly. In 2006 he came even further unglued. His Lynchburg stats, especially the BB and K numbers, speak for themselves. He eventually was sent to the GCL, then moved up to Hickory, where things improved only marginally. Back at Lynchburg in 2007, he pitched mainly in relief. Part way through the season he stated that his shoulder finally felt good, but his performance didn't improve. Even in August, when he had a 2.61 ERA, he walked more than he struck out and allowed opposing batters to hit .309.

Holliday returned to Lynchburg in 2008 and spent the year in the rotation. He made significant strides with his control, but continued to get hit hard and was overmatched in a few fill-in starts in AA. He managed to stay healthy, which was a plus. His stuff is good for a LHP, but he can't seem to put it together. He's eligible for minor league free agency, but he's still only 24 and the Pirates might still believe he has enough potential to try to re-sign him. Of course, some other team might reach the same conclusion.

Return to Left-Handed Pitchers