Who Am I?
Will Harris
RHP
Age: 32
Height: 6′ 4″
Weight: 250
(/needle scratches)
250? Damn, Will. I never realized he was quite so… sturdy.
Throws right, Bats right
How did I get here?
Harris was drafted in the 9th round in 2006 by Colorado. In 2013, he was claimed by Oakland off waivers, and stayed there all of 3 days until Arizona claimed him again off waivers. In November 2014, he was waived by Arizona and claimed by Houston, in one of Jeff Luhnow’s better roster moves.
Contract status: Harris signed a 2-year contract with a team option for 2020 this offseason to buy out his arbitration years. He will earn $2.8M this season and next; the option is for $5.5M, which can increase up to $8.5M based on his performance.
Why am I here?
Harris will lock down the 7th or 8th inning, close if the need arises, and provide veteran leadership over the next few seasons to a very young bullpen. Harris has wound up the key to the Houston bullpen since his arrival.
What are my strengths?
Harris is a big believer in democracy; that is, he gets LOTS of ground balls. He got close to a 2:1 grounder/fly ball ratio at one point last year. He also has the control you want in a reliever, especially one that can be brought in mid-inning. Harris faced 100 batters with men on last year, and only walked 3 of them – against 24 strikeouts.
What are my weaknesses?
Harris mixes his pitches well, but he has neither elite velocity nor a true “out” pitch. I’d say his cutter comes closest, but there’s nothing that you can always rely on for a swing and a miss.
What is my future with the Astros?
Jeff Luhnow answered that question with the contract for Harris in the offseason. He’s here for the next three years, and after that, his late debut is going to make free agency a questionable proposition, as he’ll already be 35.
What is my projected 2017 performance?
| W | L | IP | H | HR | BB | SO | ERA | WHIP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 | 2 | 64 | 52 | 3 | 15 | 69 | 2.25 | 1.05 |
| PECOTA | 3 | 2 | 57.2 | 50 | 6 | 20 | 59 | 3.28 | 1.21 |
| ZIPS | 62.1 | 55 | 7 | 19 | 66 | 3.18 | 1.19 | ||
| MMWAG | 4 | 1 | 61 | 52 | 3 | 18 | 63 | 2.98 | 1.15 |
Who else would I remind you of?
Forgive me for bringing up a Brave, but I’d say Kerry Lightenberg – no one pitch you feared, probably not going to be the closer, but you sure didn’t want to face him in a clutch situation.