Haren extension by D-Backs - 4 Yrs/$44.75M

[BLEEDS]

Not to say "I told you so", but this is the guy I REALLY wanted us to go after.
1.2 WHIP in Oakland/AL ballpark would translate well to the NL - this years' is 0.98!!!

His K/BB ratio is pretty sick too. He would have survived in GABP with that alone.

I love me some Johnny Cueto - he flashed some serious potential in his first start - but this guy would have lined up for the WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY for this ball-club and fit in PERFECTLY in our rotation, pushing Arroyo down a spot, leaving room for two of the pre-season unknowns in Voltar/Bailey/Affeldt/Belisle/Maloney to get some PT and see who stuck.
Instead, we signed Josh Fogg and the rest is HIStory.

How nice would it be to have a rotation of Harang/Haren/Arroyo/Volquez/anyone right about now?

""
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8416912?MSNHPHMA

PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star pitcher Dan Haren has agreed to terms on a four-year, $44.75 million contract that runs through the 2012 season with a club option for 2013.

Haren, acquired in an offseason trade with the Oakland Athletics, is 12-5 with a 2.75 ERA, fourth-best in the National League. He is fourth in the NL in strikeouts with 142 and leads the league in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 5.92.

"I knew I'd like it here but I didn't know I'd like it this much," Haren said at a news conference at Chase Field on Tuesday. "A lot of these guys are going to be around for a while and I'll be one of them. I just couldn't be happier."

The 27-year-old Haren is part of a potent 1-2 Arizona pitching punch with staff ace Brandon Webb, who also has had talks with the Diamondbacks on a new deal.

Haren's new deal includes $31.5 million more than he would have made in his old contract, which ran through 2009 with a team option for 2010. If the club picks up the option for 2013, the new contract would total $56.75 million.

The contract pays him $7.5 million in 2009, $8.25 million in 2010, and $12.75 million in 2011 and 2012. The deal includes a $3.5 buyout if the team doesn't pick up the option.

Webb, 15-4 going into his start against Pittsburgh on Tuesday night, has a contract that also expires in 2009 with a club option for 2010. But Byrnes said talks on a new contract for Webb have been "tabled" for now. Webb, the NL Cy Young winner in 2006, makes $6.5 million in 2009 and, if the team picks up the option, $8.5 million in 2010.

The right-handed Haren has been durable as well as effective. Since 2005, he is tied for second in the majors with 125 starts and is third in innings pitched with 816 1-3. Manager Bob Melvin said he found Haren to be better than advertised.

"I didn't realize what an intense competitor he is and what a big-game pitcher he is," Melvin said. "The better the opponent, the tougher the game, the more excited he is about pitching."

Haren and Webb were Arizona's All-Star Game representatives this year. Haren, who started the 2007 All-Star Game for the American League, pitched two scoreless innings in the contest this season in New York.

Haren, who has moved his family to nearby Scottsdale, came to Arizona along with pitcher Connor Robinson in exchange for six prospects. He has a career record of 61-49, 31-14 the past two seasons. Haren pitched in the World Series for St. Louis and was part of the rotation for the 2006 Oakland team that advanced to the division finals.

He said this Diamondbacks' team reminds him of that A's squad
""

PEACE

-BLEEDS

[NarrowStairs]

11 mil. a year is cheap as hell for one of the top 5 starters in baseball.

[daBeast]

cudnt the reds have traded like bruce and ceuto and volquez and baley and stubbs and had haren?????????? hes like the best pitcher in baseball , y didnt theyy?????

[BLEEDS]

cudnt the reds have traded like bruce and ceuto and volquez and baley and stubbs and had haren?????????? hes like the best pitcher in baseball , y didnt theyy?????

No, but I would have traded Cueto and/or Bailey and any one (to 4) of our other AA/AAA prospects. Stubbs would be an ideal guy Beane would like to grab, and any of the rest of the fodder - see my sig for some names - would have been just fine.

Bruce was off-limits, as was Volquez, but nobody in our Farm system currently will be in the Bigs Before 2010 at the EARLIEST, and likely nothing of major impact, contrary to unpopular belief.

IFF we were Actually trying to win this year, as well as Contend for the playoffs during this "window" of Harang/Arroyo/Cordero - THIS is the type of move we should have made instead of pinning our hopes on Cueto/Bailey/Affeldt/Belisle/Fogg/Maloney to round out our #4 and #5 starters.

Again, while at the time I thought Cueto and Bailey might have a CHANCE to give us ONE good set of 20 starts, I would have given that up in a second - plus some farm hands or 3 - to get a Haren. His numbers are sick, and as you see, he signed for an UNDER Market Extension. He's making less than Gil Meche.

PEACE

-BLEEDS

[PTI (pti)]

What a GREAT job by Josh Byrnes. Getting two years (maybe 3) added onto his contract at *that* price is helluva deal for them.

[Ahhhorsepoo]

it's amazing the kind of "discount" people will play for if the team they are on will contend..

[BLEEDS]

it's amazing the kind of "discount" people will play for if the team they are on will contend..

I know, Crazy huh? Then there's the idea of getting people on your team so you can contend first, then maybe someone would take a discount to keep playing for you.

PEACE

-BLEEDS

[Ahhhorsepoo]

yeah but you dont want to completely overpay to get there first.. the diamondbacks did it the right way.. a few smart trades and building within.. and letting players go if they got too expensive..

[BLEEDS]

yeah but you dont want to completely overpay to get there first.. the diamondbacks did it the right way.. a few smart trades and building within.. and letting players go if they got too expensive..

They got some REALLY good deals on some contracts, that's for sure. Webb is WAY WAY WAY WAY underpaid. Eric Byrnes signed for less than market value.

But I agree, they've did it the "right way".

However, it was not without risk. I'm guessing they aren't too happy with how Carlos Quentin is doing with regular PT. They also swallowed that big contract of Randy Johnson which looked like a total flop until the last month or so.

Do you think they "overpayed" for Haren with all the prospects they gave up?

PEACE

-BLEEDS

[Ahhhorsepoo]

no my overpay comment was a shot at the contract that our left fielder will probably try to command, and our fly ball pitchers that we have tried to bring into flyball heaven GABP..

i also think bonifacio could become a legit player in the next few years.. with wheels like he has, you can mess up and still get the guy out, or stretch out a good 5 or 10 infield singles that most wouldnt...

[BLEEDS]

no my overpay comment was a shot at the contract that our left fielder will probably try to command, and our fly ball pitchers that we have tried to bring into flyball heaven GABP..

i also think bonifacio could become a legit player in the next few years.. with wheels like he has, you can mess up and still get the guy out, or stretch out a good 5 or 10 infield singles that most wouldnt...

So, do you think they "overpaid" for Haren?

Would you have been fine with the Reds giving up 5 of their top 10 prospects for one Pitcher like Haren?

If so, would you be fine with them doing it this off-season?

PEACE

-BLEEDS

[Ahhhorsepoo]

the diamondbacks took a calculated risk.. bringing a good pitcher from a pitcher park, and putting him in a hitters park.. but haren is a good ground ball pitcher.. not as good as a webb but a decent one..

the A's knew they wouldnt be able to afford Haren when his time is up so why not rebuild a few positions you are getting weak at.. esp OF.. and get alot from a team looking to add just a few more top notch pieces..

but the players they gave up..

Dana Eveland.. going to be a good pitcher in the majors..
Carlos Gonzalez.. an everyday type of'er..
Aaron Cunningham.. a better than gonzalez type of everyday outfielder.. still young, only 21 or 22..
Chris Carter.. a DH who has a very keen eye, and power to spare..
Greg Smith.. Back end of rotation guy.. not a power pitcher.. still walks too many guys.. a #5 pitcher at best..
Brett Anderson.. a very young arm with a lively fastball.. one name you might hear in oakland in 2 years with the mark mulders and barry zitos out there..

if we were in contention with a very young club(with a few exceptions like byrnes clark and hudson) like arizona has, I would have done the same thing.. they obviously have a good young team, and were only a few pieces short last year.. soo why not pay a little extra for those guys? not saying they didnt need those players.. but with the youth on the team, they probably felt safe without another youth infusion..

if the reds were in a similar situation.. i would have been happy giving up those players to push us over the top..

In the reds case.. NO WAY.. they are more than 2 players away.. and giving up 5 guys who will be ML ready in the next two years would not be good..