2013 Nationals Review: Dan Haren
By Ryan Ritchey
Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Name: Dan Haren
Position: Starting Pitcher
Stat Line:
2013 Expectations:
Dan Haren was coming off of a season with an ERA over four. He allowed nine hits per nine innings, along with about one and a half homers per nine innings. He went from 238 innings in 2011 to just over 175 in 2012. What does all this tell me? That he is going down hill and going down hill fast. He isn’t the same pitcher he was five years ago, but who is? The only difference with Haren is, he is falling apart way to fast.
What did I expect? About 170 innings, not to great of an ERA, but a guy that could hold down the back end of the rotation if he had too. He is still going to get his strikeouts, but he will also allow the long ball quite a few times. He ultimately could come out of the bullpen if needed late in the season. Nothing too impressive, but just enough to get the job done for one more season in D.C.
2013 Results:
Haren’s 2013 was just about what the expectations were. Nothing too impressive but get the job done as long as you can. He put a lot of innings on the bullpen with short starts, but you can’t expect much more from a back end of the rotation guy. He gave up a good amount of homers once again, 28, which was no surprise as he gives them up regularly.
He gave up a good amount of hits, and those turned into runs. He just couldn’t get off the field when he needed too. Some two out hits really hurt him.
Not having a good back end of the rotation can really hurt a team. Haren really hurt the bullpen. You could tell he didn’t have much left in the tank and he was falling apart right before our eyes. He isn’t the same Dan Haren that had very good seasons in Oakland and Arizona.
2014 Outlook:
Haren won’t be rejoining the Nats’ it doesn’t seem in 2014. He will be looking for somewhere else to call home and will again be the back end of the rotation guy or a long reliever out of the bullpen. He can’t expect much more with his age and his production the way it has been.
Good luck to you, Dan Haren, as you finish up a career that had so much potential, but just couldn’t keep it together and be more consistent.