What's the matter with Danny Haren?

by MrIncognito on Sep 25, 2006 5:03 PM PDT Comment 7 comments

Sometimes, it's easy to look at statistics and instantly see why a pitcher is struggling. In Zito's post-ASB ERA of 4.75, we can look at him walking as many batters as he Ks, and a low GB rate and see that he's just plain not pitching well.

I can't figure out why Haren is getting killed. His K rate has been good, he doesn't walk anyone. Does anyone have any of the more advanced rate stats since the ASB that account for his collapse? Is it just a big statistical blip?

Going into the playoffs, you have to feel good about Harden and Loiaza, but finding a 3rd pitching in our rotation I want on the mound is becoming difficult.

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Haren's splitter yesterday

Haren normally gets most of his strikeouts on hitters chasing splitters in the dirt. Yesterday he didn't have that pitch working, and it showed in the results - only one strikeout in 6 innings. Macha comments on this in one of the articles linked in the side bar:
'Manager Ken Macha said Haren is not "burying his splitter," meaning it's starting high and breaking into the zone, instead of breaking down into the dirt.'

His other pitches looked fine to me; his fastball was at 93-94 on the stadium gun, and he seemed to be locating it well.

Sometimes a pitcher just doesn't have a feeling for a particular pitch one day, but is fine in his next outing. Other times, of course, these things can be masking some underlying injury or fatigue problem. My hope is that we'll clinch in the next couple of days, Haren will be able to make a short (80 pitches or so) outing to stay sharp on Friday, and then come back strong in game 2 of the playoffs.

Some are sabermetricians.

by andeux on Sep 25, 2006 5:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs