Derek Holland probably isn't going to pitch a shutout tonight?

But it's not impossible.

Holland didn't have a great year, and is not a great pitcher. Not yet, anyway.

He did pitch some great games this season, though.

In fact, Holland pitched four shutouts, tied for the American League with James Shields.

Nope, not CC Sabathia or Justin Verlander or Dan Haren or Jered Weaver or C.J. Wilson or Josh Beckett.

Derek Holland.

Was he lucky to throw four shutouts? Undoubtedly. Jason Vargas threw three shutouts this season, and he's not exactly knocking down the gate to Cooperstown.

But Derek Holland's a pretty good pitcher, with a solid strikeout-to-walk ratio and perfectly fine numbers otherwise, when you consider where he does half his pitching.

He's averaging 13 pitches per inning, which isn't a lot. But if the Rangers are still ahead by a run or two in the ninth inning (if not the eighth), it's hard to figure Ron Washington won't go to his bullpen. But shutout or no, Holland might pitch the game of his life.