Veteran Dan Haren joins Washington Nationals’ rotation, report sources - MLB Update
Sources close to the matter has claimed that Washington Nationals have included another strong arm in their rotation. Veteran Dan Haren has been hired on a $13 million one-year contract.
Along with Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and others, he will start games for the team next year.
Earlier John Lannan was non-tendered by Washington, because offering him a deal was considered expensive by them. Unimpressed by his repertoire and 2012 season performance, they did not view him as the right choice for their rotation.
Their rotation has the reputation of being among the best in the National League. Inclusion of a single mediocre arm can result in a change in perception of the opponents.
It can also affect the performance of other pitchers, because momentum gained by them during the season can be ruined with a single bad show coming off from any hurler.
In order to reinforce the status of being a formidable rotation in the league, the Nationals were looking for someone who can be at-par with the rest of the hurlers in the team.
In the form of Dan Haren, they might believe to have found an ideal candidate.
Certainly, the immense experience possessed by Haren is one of the reasons why Washington preferred him over Lannan.
However, a below par performance by Haren during 2012, which is uncharacteristic of him, will be in the mind of the team’s officials. If he fails to arrest his decline, it will be disappointing for Washington.
Regardless of his numbers in 2012 season, the Nationals’ manager Davey Johnson is excited about him.
Calling him a healthy addition, he is looking forward to see Haren spearhead the pitching staff of the club in the upcoming season.
"I've got some young guys that act like veterans, and they pitched like veterans last year for me," Johnson said. "But adding a veteran like Haren is going to make things even better. I've seen him pitch over the years, and he's an intense competitor. Hopefully
we'll get it done."
The news of the acquisition of Haren has not been officially confirmed yet.
Haren will be happy about becoming a part of a playoff calibre team. He will look to contribute toward their success next year and make sure they qualify for the post-season again.
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