The Angels made the biggest trade of the season on July 25 when they acquired Dan Haren from the Arizona Diamondbacks for fan favorite Joe Saunders and minor leaguers Rafael Rodriguez, Pat Corbin and Tyler Skaggs.
The trade itself was a sell-high on Saunders, whose value would never have been higher. With few pitchers of Haren's caliber available, Saunders brought in the big fish and went on to lead the league in games lost with 17 combined between Arizona and the Angels in 2010. Looking down the road a bit, the Angels may have gotten rid of some future studs in Corbin and Skaggs, but if Haren's 2010 performance here was any indication, three more seasons of near-ace contention-ready right handed pitching is worth two in the bush leagues.
Haren pitched great for the Angels in the two months he was here. He averaged over seven strikeouts per nine innings pitched and had a 1.1 WHIP as an Angel. HE threw 94 innings with an ERA+ of 142. That is Ace with a capital A material, albeit in a sample size of about 40 percent of a full season's worth of innings. Haren turned thirty years old on September 17. He struck out 216 batters over the 35 Games he started in the entire 2010 season.
Dan Haren is under contract for the 2011 and 2012 season and the Angels have an option for 2013. There is that ugly bug in the room when it comes to praising late-season pitching trades... you know the slight caveat that Scott Kazmir had a kick-@$$ 40 days pitching for the Angels in 2009 after being acquired in an August trade. But you can go back and compose a best-of '09 list with the blessings of hindsight, me I have one more addition to make to this top ten highlight list and then it s all about looking forward to 2011...
0 recs | 60 comments
Haren alone makes the 2011 season worth watching
I seriously got such an instant man crush on Danny Boy from start 1 with the Angels.
That and when he said “I want to be here forever”. I love this man.
PhiSlamma - December 30, 2010
Oh Danny Boy, I love you so, oh Danny Boy!
red floyd - December 30, 2010
maybe he'll let you hold his jock strap lol
C.A._Rep_Los_ANGELS - December 30, 2010 via mobile
I was quoting the old Irish song.
Since Phi has a man crush.
red floyd - December 30, 2010
I have a similar man crush on Haren.
I feel kinda bad that he is my favorite angel and hes only been on the team for half a season
Halos2011champs - December 30, 2010 via mobile
Seriously.
I’m pretty much ready to buy his jersey.
SenorChuckles - December 30, 2010
I already have!
Halos2011champs - December 30, 2010 via mobile
Good shit, dude.
I envy thee.
SenorChuckles - December 30, 2010
Highly reccomend it Brotha
Halos2011champs - December 30, 2010 via mobile
Oh Danny boy, the pipes, THE PIPES are callin'
From glen to glen, and down the mountainside…
Commander_Nate - December 30, 2010
GMTA Nate
See my reply to Phi Slamma
red floyd - December 30, 2010
Rev, you misspelled Haren in the first sentence
regarding Haren, its great to know the guy truly wants to be here and pitch for the Halos. eff all the other FAs who pick the East Coast, Torii and Haren are glad to be here and know what stadium houses the most milfs and cougars in all of MLB.
2pintsofbooze - December 30, 2010
thanks
for catching that
Rev Halofan - December 30, 2010
I don't know what's left for #1
But the Haren trade must have given it a run for its money.
angelslogic - December 30, 2010
the only thing I can think of
is Weaver becoming an ace and winning the K crown. not much else as for good things from last season.
2pintsofbooze - December 30, 2010
Releasing Q?
of course, that was devastating to Soth
Raaddad - December 30, 2010
how hilarious would it be
if Rev made that the #1 story?
I was playing MLB 2009 with a buddy the other day and Morales went down with an injury and the only guy I could put in to play 1st was Q. so Q was my cleanup hitter starting in the 4th inning. needless to say, I lost.
2pintsofbooze - December 30, 2010
No surprise there
you didn’t have Nap?
Raaddad - December 30, 2010
he was catching
and I’d rather have Q in the lineup than Mathis.
2pintsofbooze - December 30, 2010
I'm not sure there is a player currently in the majors who I wouldn
~MMP~ - December 30, 2010
't rather have, if the alternative was Mathis.
~MMP~ - December 30, 2010
This is in my top 10
LAstands4LovingAnaheim - December 31, 2010 via mobile
I'm telling you it's that Texas choked.
stuck in Romania - December 30, 2010
The addition of Haren was one of the few, VERY FEW, real highlights in 2010
Regardless of what Skaggs develops into, this trade was a WIN for the Angels
mustard_man - December 30, 2010
Make that an EPIC win for the Halos.
Clutch - December 30, 2010
I agree that Dan Haren was a HUGE plus for the Angels
Now all we need to do is get some kind of run support behind his (and Weaver’s) awesome efforts and we are lookin’ good for 2011.
Bats, Tony. More solid bats. Or even one more quality bat if some of the others from last year bounce back from mediocrity.
Hoppity Hooper - December 30, 2010
setting us up for a 2011 run
plan ahead
that is why i already bought tickets for vacation in Hawaii in October
DAD OF VLAD - December 30, 2010
I was in Hawaii for 2008's postseason
the loss to Boston after Aybar’s missed bunt ruined my evening…that is, until I had 5 mai tais.
2pintsofbooze - December 30, 2010
Win.
Clutch - December 30, 2010
So you're planning to have another kid then, huh?
Commander_Nate - December 30, 2010
It's pretty obvious what the #1 thing was for the Angels in 2010.
The last day of the season.
Bada bing.
bc56274 - December 30, 2010
zing!
http://instantrimshot.com/
RexTookMyStash - December 30, 2010
#1 Is Kendry going down, obviously.
It was a season changing moment that was so surreal, so absolutely ridiculous that it could have only happened to the Angels franchise.
PhiSlamma - December 30, 2010
I was going to say it's the night the world record for people wearing Snuggies was set
but you might be right.
George Kaplan - December 30, 2010
Shit, Kaplan you might win this round again
Snuggie night should eclipse anything the Angels did this decade.
PhiSlamma - December 30, 2010
Highlights or lowlights?
hauldog - December 30, 2010
Aybar getting hit in the junk (as he swings and misses wildly)
plus managing to make Scioscia snap outta his serious skipper face for a bit, has to be #1…lol
maze88 - December 30, 2010 via mobile
Oh, jesus, please post a link to that video so I can relive that moment.
PhiSlamma - December 30, 2010
Lol
Here it is.
maze88 - December 30, 2010
WiHaloFan - December 30, 2010
Well,
The 2030 first-year player draft might be a little lighter on slap-hitting SS prospects.
LAASurfin - December 30, 2010
My favorite part of that was that Hamilton and some of the other Rangers were trying to hide their laughter
While the Angels dugout was completely cracking up.
~MMP~ - December 30, 2010
The HH event at the stadium
is obviously #1
With Rev scaring off all of the A’s fans sitting around us.
And I think that was also the last good game the Halos played in 2010
Raaddad - December 30, 2010
YES!
PTBNL the best jersey I’ve ever seen
LAstands4LovingAnaheim - December 31, 2010 via mobile
Haren is the man
My concern regarding the Haren trade is that he may be a fall back for not extending Weaver. God I hope not, but Weaver is not going to come cheap; especially after last season.
Does anyone think we will lose Weaver?
marshgr - December 30, 2010
Of course the angels will lose weaver.
Does anyone seriously think this franchise will come to terms with a premier #1 under mind control from This Is All Boras?
clover_black - December 30, 2010
Do people think it's a good idea to submit to those demands?
Weaver, before last season, was not a premier #1 pitcher. He was a solid #2. Weaver’s also not going to be terribly young when he hits free agency – he’ll be one year younger than Lackey was. And we all see (I hope) that it was a good idea to let Lackey go.
Maybe Weaver will be worth it, but if Boras’s demands skyrocket, I could see the Angels letting him go.
Gorbachav5 - December 30, 2010
No way will the Angels keep Jered Weaver. NOT. A. CHANCE.
I’m usually not a betting man, but I’d throw down $5,000 on that one without BLINKING.
Downing Rules - December 30, 2010
"keep" should be "be able to retain the services / woo"
Downing Rules - December 30, 2010
This is my fear as well
LAstands4LovingAnaheim - December 31, 2010 via mobile
Pow, right in weiner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-J7YP-3-G4
NathanielS - December 30, 2010
yikes, I am afraid to click that ... I'll let someone else do it first.
Downing Rules - December 30, 2010
I wonder how that is still up on youtube
Usually, MLB has those removed right away.
WiHaloFan - December 30, 2010
This should be posted permanately in the left side bar on HH.
44FAN - December 30, 2010
LOVE this trade
cupie - December 30, 2010
If
The Angels don’t plan to keep weaver longterm,then why not trade him befor he gets to free agency.
Halo fann 2002 - December 30, 2010 via mobile
so he can help them
win the WS this season, of course
2pintsofbooze - December 30, 2010
Love your "sarcathusiasm" 2pints.
I’ll drink what you’re having.
sheisalovelyladyandmyapologiestoher - December 30, 2010
My favorite new word. thanks urnameistoolongtotypewhendrunk
LAstands4LovingAnaheim - December 31, 2010 via mobile
one of the few highlights of 2010 for sure...
… Him coming to the Angels did cost me a new cell phone though. I threw it and busted beyond repair when Haren got hit on the elbow with that comebacker. Funny thing, Rev started the 2nd game thread that night and asked what we threw when Haren got nailed, I had a good snicker as I was sweeping up the pieces of my phone.
AlohaHalofan - December 30, 2010 via mobile
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