Rich Harden

Harden with the Oakland Athletics

Pitcher

Born: November 30, 1981 (age 35)
Victoria, British Columbia

Batted: Left

Threw: Right

MLB debut

July 21, 2003, for the Oakland Athletics

Last MLB appearance

September 25, 2011, for the Oakland Athletics

MLB statistics

Win–loss record

59–38

Earned run average

3.76

Strikeouts

949

Teams

James Richard "Rich" Harden (born November 30, 1981) is a Canadian former professional baseball pitcher. He has pitched for the Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball.

Harden attended Claremont Secondary School in Victoria, British Columbia. He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 38th round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft, but instead attended Central Arizona College, which he graduated in 2001. While there he played baseball alongside future MLB All-Star second baseman Ian Kinsler.

He led all Division I Junior College pitchers with 127 strikeouts in 2001, and his ERA of 2.14 was the 5th lowest in the nation. In his first professional season as a 19-year-old with the Vancouver Canadians in Single-A, Harden had a 2–4 record in 18 games (14 starts), a 3.39 ERA, allowed only 47 hits and struck out 100 batters in 74 innings.

Harden was drafted by the Athletics in the 17th round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft, and signed by the team on May 28, 2001, shortly after graduating.

In 2002, Harden began the year with the Single-A Visalia Oaks of the California League and was very impressive in 12 starts, as he had a 4–3 record with an ERA of 2.91, and struck out 85 batters in 68 innings. Halfway through the 2002 season, Harden was promoted to the Double-A Midland RockHounds of the Texas League, where he continued his impressive season, earning a record of 8–3, with an ERA of 2.95 in 16 starts. He also struck out 102 batters in 85 innings. His combined 2002 stats were 12–6, 2.93 ERA, 187 strikeouts and 75 walks in 153 innings.

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