Aaron Harang may have made his last start as a member of the Reds today, writes MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. The big righty had his outing cut short by a blister, and probably will not make the postseason roster. The Reds are certain to choose Harang's $2MM buyout over his $12.75MM club option for 2011. His best years were 2005-07, when the workhorse tossed 677.6 innings of 3.77 ball. Let's assess his situation.
The Pros
- Even as he started to slip in recent years, Harang's peripherals remained respectable. He's prone to hits and homers, but at least he gets strikeouts and limits walks typically.
- He's highly likely to sign a one-year deal.
- Harang will not cost a draft pick to sign. In fact, he's below a Type B.
The Cons
- He's always been a flyball pitcher. He's also so hittable that many of his frequent home runs allowed will come with runners on base.
- This year Harang's strikeout rate was his lowest since '03, while his walk rate was his highest since '04.
- Harang hasn't reached 200 innings since '07, as he's dealt with forearm and back injuries as well as an appendectomy.
The Verdict
Harang needs a big ballpark, and could join the long list of free agents hoping to rebuild value in San Diego. He could be looking at a base salary in the $3-4MM range for 2011.
