Entering Sunday, the Los Angeles Angels were six games back of the Texas Rangers in the American League West.
The Angels currently have the worst pitching in the division and are ranked 11th in the AL in ERA.
Sunday the Angels decided to do something about that.
Dan Haren was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks for Joe Saunders, minor league pitching prospects left hander Patrick Corbin, right hander Rafael Rodriguez, neither of which are top Angels prospects, and a player to be named later, which one would imagine will be a higher prospect.
Haren, 29, was 7-8 with a 4.60 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP with the Diamondbacks. Clearly not one of his best years, as Haren is averaging 10.3 hits per nine innings, which is his highest average since his rookie season when he averaged 10.4. He has given up 161 hits in his 141.1 innings pitched
Haren has also given up 23 home runs. His high for home runs in a season is 31, but that came in 223 innings pitched. He is averaging nine strikeouts per nine innings, so when he keeps the ball in the yard, he is very effective.
With a better team around him, a pitcher's ballpark and a better bullpen, Haren should be a great addition to the Angels.
Corbin was the second-round pick for the Angels last season, and made it up to High-A Rancho Cucamonga, where he had a 3.88 ERA and a 64:18 strikeout to walk ratio in 60.1 innings pitched, before the deal.
Rodriguez was seen as a lost cause for the Angels. In 30.2 innings pitched out of the Angels bullpen, Rodriguez had a 5.58 ERA and a 10:9 strikeout to walk ratio. He should see more action considering how bad the Diamondbacks bullpen is.
Joe Saunders, 29, didn't fair much better than Haren this season for the Angels, going 6-10 with a 4.62 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP.
Whether each will find better or worse numbers switching leagues is yet to be seen, but one has to see this as an improvement for the struggling Angels rotation.
Another incentive for the Angels is the fact Haren has an affordable contract that runs through 2012 ($12.75 million for each of the next two seasons) and includes a team option for 2013 ($15.5 million).
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