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Aaron Harang signs with Cleveland Indians

Harang-utang!!!

Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

The Indians have signed veteran right-hander Aaron Harang to a minor-league deal, pending a physical.

Harang, 35, spent most of 2013 with the Mariners, before being released and signing with the Mets to end the season. For the full season he posted a 5.40 ERA (68 ERA+). His strikeout and walk rates were reasonable, but he gave up 26 home runs in 143.1 innings, which works out to 1.63 per 9 innings, the highest rate of any pitcher with 140+ innings.

Harang was better than that in both 2011 and 2012 (spent with the Padres and Dodgers, respectively), with an ERA+ (102) and FIP (4.15) both right around league average, but at his age he seems unlikely to turn things back around.

Year Age Tm ERA G SHO IP HR BB SO ERA+ WHIP HR/9 BB/9 SO/9
2010 32 CIN 5.32 22 0 111.2 16 38 82 77 1.585 1.3 3.1 6.6
2011 33 SDP 3.64 28 0 170.2 20 58 124 98 1.365 1.1 3.1 6.5
2012 34 LAD 3.61 31 0 179.2 14 85 131 105 1.403 0.7 4.3 6.6
2013 35 SEA/NYM 5.40 26 2 143.1 26 40 113 68 1.347 1.6 2.5 7.1

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com

Harang did manage to throw two complete game shutouts in 2013, one of which featured 10 strikeouts and just 2 hits, so on the right day, he can still be quite effective. I can't see him winning the fifth spot in the rotation, but if he's willing to go to Columbus to begin the year, he could be called upon to fill in for a spot start here or there if the rotation suffers an injury or two.

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