Dan Haren

Last updated

23 scoreless innings.

Pitching in a game against the Seattle Mariners Dan Haren.jpg
Pitching in a game against the Seattle Mariners

Oakland Athletics (2005–2007)

After the 2004 season, the Cardinals traded Haren in a package that included right-handed reliever Kiko Calero and top hitting prospect Daric Barton to the Oakland Athletics for Mark Mulder. [10] Haren went 14–12 with a 3.73 ERA in his first full season as a major leaguer. [11]


In 2005, Haren finished in the top 10 in the American League in the following categories: innings pitched (217, ninth place), strikeouts (163, sixth place), and complete games (three, fourth place). [11]

Furthermore, in 2007, Haren had one of the best seasons among any pitcher in the majors. Haren finished in the top ten in the American League in wins, with 15, strikeouts, with 192, innings pitched, with 222+23, strikeout to walk ratio, with 3.49, and finished in the top three in the AL in ERA with 3.07. [11] In 2007, he was also selected to start the MLB All Star Game. [11]

Arizona Diamondbacks (2008–2010)

Haren pitching during the 2009 All-Star Game in St. Louis DSC05955 Dan Haren.jpg
Haren pitching during the 2009 All-Star Game in St. Louis

On December 14, 2007, Haren was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, along with Connor Robertson, for prospects including Carlos González, Brett Anderson, Aaron Cunningham, Greg Smith, Dana Eveland, and Chris Carter. [12] In his first season with the Diamondbacks he was selected to the 2008 All-Star game at Yankee Stadium along with his teammate, Brandon Webb. He finished 2008 with a 3.33 ERA to go along with a 16–8 win–loss record, and a career-high 206 strikeouts in 216 innings. [11] His strikeout to walk ratio of 5.15 was the best in the National League, trailing only Roy Halladay

On August 6, 2008, Haren agreed to a four-year, $44.75 million contract with a team option for the 2013 season. [13] Haren was also selected as a 2009 NL All-Star, representing the Diamondbacks along with Justin Upton. Haren finished the year with a record of 14–10, 3.14 ERA, and 223 strikeouts in 229+13 innings, throwing three complete games in 33 starts. [11] He once again led the National League with a strikeout to walk ratio of 5.87, and ranked third in total number of strikeouts and ninth in strikeouts per nine innings (8.75 K/9). His 1.003 WHIP was the best mark in the big leagues.

In 2009, he was named #33 on the Sporting News' list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball. A panel of 100 baseball people, many of them members of the Baseball Hall of Fame and winners of major baseball awards, was polled to arrive at the list. [14] He began the 2010 season with a 7–8 record and a 4.60 ERA through July 25. [15]

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2010–2012)

Haren with the Los Angeles Angels in 2011 Dan Haren on September 16, 2011 (1).jpg
Haren with the Los Angeles Angels in 2011

On July 25, 2010, the Diamondbacks traded Haren to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for starting pitcher Joe Saunders, and minor league pitchers Rafael Rodríguez, Patrick Corbin, and Tyler Skaggs. [16] [17] In 13 games with the Angels to close out the 2010 season, Haren went 5–4 with 75 strikeouts and a 2.87 ERA. [11] His final numbers for the entire season were a 12–12 record, 3.91 ERA, 216 strikeouts and 235 innings in 35 starts.

2011 saw a rebound from Haren, as he pitched to a 16–11 record with a 3.17 ERA in 35 games (34 starts). He struck out 192 in 238+13 innings and led the American League with a 5.82 strikeout to walk ratio, while throwing a career high four complete games (three shutouts).

On May 24, 2012, Haren recorded a career-high 14 strikeouts in a complete-game shutout against the Seattle Mariners in Seattle, allowing four hits in a 3–0 victory. [18] On November 2, 2012, after an attempt to trade him to the Chicago Cubs for Carlos Mármol fell through, the Angels declined Haren's $15.5 million option, instead buying it out for $3.5 million, and he became a free agent. [19]

Washington Nationals (2013)

On December 7, 2012, Haren signed a one-year, $13 million contract with the Washington Nationals. [20] After his June 22, 2013, start against the Colorado Rockies, Haren owned a major league-worst 6.15 ERA amongst qualified starters. [21] He had also given up a league-leading number of home runs with 19 home runs surrendered through 15 starts. [22]

Haren was placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 25 with right shoulder inflammation. [23] He later explained that the disabled list stint was more for "mental reasons than physical reasons," as he was lonely with his family remaining in California. [24] Haren finished the 2013 season 10–14 with a 4.67 ERA. [25] After starting the season with a 4–11 record and a 5.79 ERA in his first 18 games, he finished the season with a 6–3 record and a 3.14 ERA in his final 13 games. [26]

Los Angeles Dodgers (2014)

On November 25, 2013, Haren signed to a one-year, $10 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The deal included a vesting option for 2015, which became a player option when he pitched 180 innings in 2014. [27] [28] Haren started the season strong, winning five of his first six decisions. However, around the all-star break he had a brief stretch where he pitched poorly, losing five straight starts from July 5 to August 1. He turned it around again and pitched well down the stretch. He finished with a record of 13–11 and an ERA of 4.02 in 32 starts for the Dodgers in 2014. [29] For the year, he finished second in the league in home runs allowed with 27.

After the season, Haren exercised his player option for the 2015 season. Regarding rumors that the Dodgers might trade him, Haren said he only wanted to pitch in Los Angeles, either for the Dodgers or the Angels, and that he had "no interest" in playing for anyone else. [30]

Miami Marlins (2015)

On December 10, 2014, the Dodgers traded Haren, Dee Gordon, and Miguel Rojas, to the Miami Marlins in exchange for Andrew Heaney, Chris Hatcher, Austin Barnes, and Enrique Hernández. [31] He voiced his preference to pitch for a team on the West Coast. Although it was reported that Haren had requested a trade, [32] he reported to spring training with the Marlins and denied having requested a trade. [33]

Chicago Cubs (2015)

On July 31, 2015, the Marlins traded Haren to the Chicago Cubs for minor leaguers Elliot Soto and Ivan Pineyro. [34] Haren announced he would retire after the 2015 season. Haren stated, "If I don't pitch in the postseason, that's it. It's been fun. Hopefully there's a lot more games to go. If my name is called, I'll be ready." [35] Between the Marlins and Cubs, Haren went 11–9 with a 3.60 ERA in 32 starts.

Pitching style

Haren threw an 89–92-mile-per-hour (143–148 km/h) four-seam fastball, an 89–92-mile-per-hour (143–148 km/h) two-seam fastball, a sharp 84–86-mile-per-hour (135–138 km/h) split-finger fastball, and a 76–79-mile-per-hour (122–127 km/h) spike curve. [36] Haren had also added and relied heavily upon an 85–87-mile-per-hour (137–140 km/h) cut fastball, which he added in 2008 and had credited with rejuvenating his career. [37] The cut fastball made up more than half of his pitch selection to right-handed hitters, with his fastballs and occasional split-finger fastball filling up most of the rest. Against lefties, Haren mixed all of his pitches but used his two-seam fastball the most. His curveball was a change-of-pace pitch, and not a main weapon; he didn't throw it much to right-handers or in two-strike counts. By contrast, he threw about half of his splitters with two strikes. [36]

Haren usually had a slow pitching delivery, highlighted by a slight pause in the middle of his windup, that he sped up with runners on base. His pitching style was often dubbed a "chess match" by reporters and announcers (particularly Daron Sutton and Mark Grace of the Diamondbacks' announcing team) due to his ability to change speeds and throw nearly any pitch in any count (and often throw pitches in succession, i.e., four straight breaking balls), often going against scouting reports, making it particularly difficult to hit him. [37]

Personal life

Haren grew up in West Covina, California. He is of Irish and Mexican descent. [5] He and his wife have two children, [24] and live in Orange County, California. [30]

In December 2016, the Diamondbacks hired Haren as a special pitching assistant, applying sabermetrics and other baseball analytics. [38] His current title with the organization is pitching strategist. [1]

See also

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References

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  2. Wagner, James (August 9, 2013). "Dan Haren becomes 13th pitcher to beat all 30 teams". Washington Post.
  3. Kepner, Tyler (February 27, 2017). "Dan Haren hopes to help Diamondback pitchers better prepared". New York Times.
  4. "Bishop Amat Favored in Division I Baseball". Los Angeles Times. May 21, 1998. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
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  14. Archived July 26, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
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Dan Haren
Dan Haren on July 29, 2014.jpg
Haren with Los Angeles Dodgers in 2014
Pitcher
Born: (1980-09-17) September 17, 1980 (age 43)
Monterey Park, California, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
June 30, 2003, for the St. Louis Cardinals
Last MLB appearance
October 4, 2015, for the Chicago Cubs
Awards and achievements
Preceded by American League All-Star Game Starting Pitcher
2007
Succeeded by
Preceded by American League Pitcher of the month
May 2007
Succeeded by
Preceded by National League Pitcher of the month
June 2008
Succeeded by