Happy Wednesday, Athletics Nation!
When I think of former A’s fireballers that couldn’t stay healthy enough to fulfill their potential, I think first of Rich Harden. He had great stuff when he wasn’t broken, but he only pitched over 150 innings once in his nine-year career. Harden’s fastball typically sat in the mid-90s, though he occasionally touched triple digits, so by 2024 standards he didn’t really throw that hard.
Still, pitchers like Harden may have offered a cautionary tale for players and managers that have become increasingly fixated on chasing ever higher pitch velocity over the years.