Apr 23, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Aaron Harang (34) pitches in the second inning against the Miami Marlins at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher, Aaron Harang, is on a different planet right now. Not only for him in his career but this 35-year-old is doing something no one in the MLB is doing.
Harang is currently 3-1 with a 0.85 ERA!! He’s thrown 31.2 innings so far in 2014 with only allowing 15 hits and three runs while striking out 33 batters.
The stats on this guy are ridiculous right now. Looking back to when Frank Wren and Braves upper management sat down during Spring Training and decided to sign Harang and let Freddy Garcia go, now they look like geniuses.
“I really can’t explain it,” Fredi Gonzalez said after Wednesdays game. “He’s been given this opportunity to pitch with a good team and a good organization and he sure is getting the most of it. He’s doing a terrific job.”
On Wednesday, Harang didn’t pick up the win against the Marlins but did pitch amazingly. He went 6 innings, giving up six hits and 11 strikeouts. He did allow one run when Marcell Ozuna singled in the 6th inning and Giancarlo Stanton doubled.
Harang was in Cleveland prior to being picked up by the Braves. But the Indians let him walk away from the team in the middle of Spring Training.
Apr 23, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Aaron Harang (34) pitches in the third inning against the Miami Marlins at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
“Our scouts went out to Arizona and watched him pitch during Spring Training and came back and said ‘this guy is pitching pretty good’,” Gonzalez said. “He was on our radar in the winter time but we decided not to sign him. Then the opportunity came to be four days before the end of Spring Training when he had the walkout clause and we got him…good for us”
Prior to making his Braves debut, Harang’s career ERA was 4.28 and held a record of 110-116. Being in the National League for most of his career, that is not an excuse most give for a pitchers turnaround.
When he was asked after Wednesday’s game if he’s pitching with a chip on his shoulder, Harang responded with…
“I didn’t have a lot of teams calling this offseason so there might be something a little there like hey I can still do this and I’m just going to keep going out there and doing what I’m doing.”
The 12-year veteran definitely brings one thing to the table, experience.
“The biggest thing I bring is just having experience…and being able to watch guys and talk to them about situations I’ve been in if I see them in similar situations on the field,” said Harang. “If they are out there and the game starts to speed up a little bit, maybe I can help them step back and slow the game down a little bit and stay under control and focus.”
The Braves are off on Thursday and again next Monday so Harang is currently schedule to be back on the mound against the Marlins again April 30th in Miami.