DALLAS, Texas — Former Rangers starting pitcher Derek "Dutch Oven" Holland positions himself behind home plate in front of a sell-out crowd at Globe Life Field in Arlington.
Glove in hand, prepared to catch the opening pitch for Game 3 of the ALCS, it's not a position he was known for during his eight seasons with Texas.
Former teammate and Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler took the mound and fired away. It was a memorable moment for Rangers fans who remember the last two times the club tasted glory, the last two times they punched their ticket to the World Series in 2010 and 2011.
The only years in the club's history of making a World Series since moving to Arlington in 1972.
Kinsler and Holland were on those teams, hoping to bring a ring home to the metroplex. It never worked out.
Holland, who has been rooting for the Rangers this season as they clawed their way back to the Fall Classic by beating the Astros, said things feel different this time around.
"Having a manager like Bruce Bochy is such a big thing. We had Wash (Ron Washington) with us -- it was his first time there. Not to say he didn't handle it right, he did an outstanding job. But Boch has been through this before," Holland told WFAA.
"He's got young guys that he can help and veterans that can help them understand how to carry themselves and getting them ready. It's the same game, nothing's changed. The mound didn't move, and the fences didn't move. It's just more people in the stands, more coverage, and that's it. It's the same game it was before," he continued.
Holland was only 23 when the Rangers went to the World Series in 2010. There are a few youngsters on the team like him at the time. Evan Carter is only 21 years old -- brand new to ordering a beer at a bar.
"It's just something that you dream of... for me, our mindset was that we can bring back a ring to Arlington. Unfortunately, we failed not once but twice. We did everything we could, we just ran into teams that were better than us," said Holland.
"With the 2023 Rangers, they're so confident. They've got a good thing going, they've dealt with adversity well. Then you have a guy like Adolis who lets his emotions go, and the guys feed off it. He just wreaked havoc on those Astros," Holland continued.
Holland has enjoyed rooting for the Rangers in its most pivotal series against Houston.
"Give them credit, but at the same time, they've made everybody mad. When you're a good team for that long, everybody tends to start hating you. You saw it with the fan base -- I've dealt with it on social media, and I'm okay with it. I am not hearing too much from them right now, though."
"Lots of crickets on that side."