Jeff Benton
For Saturday’s Bonus Play, we’ll back the DBacks and Dan Haren at Oakland.
This is an odd pitching matchup with two guys who were traded for each other scheduled to square off, as Haren matches up against Oakland’s Edgar Gonzalez, who is making his 2009 big-league debut and his first MLB start in 53 weeks. I gotta believe Haren’s going to be a little extra pumped up for this contest, as he was Oakland’s ace before being dealt to Arizona after the 2007 season. He also comes into this game very well rested, as he threw 56 pitches in three innings at Florida on Monday before the game was called due to rain.
Haren’s last start prior to that was on May 12, when he tossed 102 pitches in seven innings in a 3-1 home loss to Cincinnati, meaning he really hasn’t pitched in 11 days. That can only help a guy who pitches deep into games as often as Haren does. In fact, the right-hander has gone at least six innings in 11 consecutive outings dating to last September, and although his 3-4 record doesn’t suggest it, he’s been terrific all season with eight quality starts in eight trips to the mound.
Haren’s 2.09 ERA is the fourth-best in the National League and the fifth best in baseball, and his 0.86 WHIP is the better than any pitcher’s in the game – better than Johan Santana, better than Zack Greinke, better than Roy Halladay. He’s also got a remarkable 56-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Lastly, Haren proved a year ago that facing his former team fires him up, as he beat the A’s 11-1 in Arizona, giving up a run on four hits with one walk and eight strikeouts in seven innings. Throw in the fact that Gonzalez went just 14-21 with a 5.97 ERA in three major-league seasons (all in Arizona) – and he was 3-2 with a 5.22 ERA in Triple-A this year! – and I’m all over Haren and the improving DBacks (5-1 last six games) in this one.
3? ARIZONA