Rich Harden made his first start of 2011 yesterday, pitching six quality innings for the A’s against the Diamondbacks; 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 6 K. Harden spent the first three months of the season on the DL, ensuring that once again he wouldn’t even get to 150 innings in a season, which is something he hasn’t done since 2004. Back in ’03, when Oakland was battling for the AL West title, they called a 21 year-old flamethrower up for the stretch run. Even though his control was spotty (4.8 BB/9), Harden pitched well enough and helped the A’s hold off the Mariners and make it into the playoffs (where they would lose in the first round… again).
The following season Harden actually approached 200 innings as he made 31 starts, dropping his walk rate to 3.8 BB/9 while still striking out batters (7.9 K/9), and making it look like the Big Three (Hudson, Mulder, Zito) might be turning into the Big Four. His fastball, which average 94.3 mph, was the fastest in the majors (amongst qualified starters).
2005 started off well enough – 20.1 IP, 1 R, 21 K’s – but ended up missing more than a month of the season with an oblique injury in the middle of the year and then again due to a shoulder injury later on. Though he only got into 22 games (128 IP), when Harden was on the field he was very good. His 2.53 ERA was second in the AL amongst pitchers with at least 100 IP, and he upped his strike-out rate (8.5 K/9) with cutting his walks once again (3 BB/9). With Hudson and Mulder gone, Harden looked like he’d be the one taking over the top spot in the A’s rotation (when healthy).
Things did not quite work out though, as Harden managed just 72.1 IP in 2006 and 2007 combined, though he blew hitter away when he actually got on the field (9.5 K/9 over that span). With Harden relatively healthy and pitching well at the start of the ’08 season, the A’s dealt the 26 year-old to the Cubs. He finished the year with 148 IP – his most since his first full season – a 2.07 ERA (easily the lowest in the majors, min. 100 IP), and 11 strike-outs per nine. 2009 in Chicago was similar; 141 IP with 10.9 K/9. Good when he pitched, but he didn’t do enough of it.
The Rangers took a flier on Harden for the 2010 season, but that did not work out well. Not only was he not healthy (only 92 IP), but he wasn’t effective; 5.58 ERA, and almost as many walks (6.1 BB/9) as punch-outs (7.3 K/9). The fastball that used to overpower batters was coming in less than 91 mph, on average, and for the first time in his career batters started making contact with his pitches at an above league average rate.
And so Harden has come full circle, returning to the team that drafted him. The A’s were supposedly going to pitch Harden out of the bullpen, but with the team 7 games out in the AL West it’s not crazy to see if the former top prospect can regain his form in the rotation. For the first time in a while, there are actually dual questions surrounding Harden; the usual “can he stay healthy?”, and the relatively new “is he still any good?”. The latter point is off to a pretty good start, at least, as he touched 94 with his heater (though it did average less than 91) and generated a 28% whiff rate on his off-speed stuff.
Also last night: Brian Wilson blew a save, but got the win as the Giants rally in the 9th to beat the Tigers; Jair Jurjjens took a no-hitter into the 7th inning and ended up with a one-hit shutout versus the O’s; Mark Ellis had a nice first game for the Rockies, picking up 3 hits including a homer as the Rockies dominated the Royals 9-0; and much more.
What to watch tonight: Jered Weaver will try to keep his ERA below 2 against Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers; the two other city battles (White Sox versus Cubs and Yankees versus Mets) are going on; plus the Pirates and Nationals play two. Full schedule with probable pitchers here.
