| Pete Harnisch | |
|---|---|
 Harnisch in 1988 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1966-09-23)September 23, 1966 (age 59) Commack, New York, U.S. | |
Batted: Switch Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 13, 1988, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| May 7, 2001, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss Record | 111–103 |
| Earned run average | 3.89 |
| Strikeouts | 1,368 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Peter Thomas Harnisch (born September 23, 1966) is an American formerMajor League Baseball right-handedpitcher. He played in college at Fordham University from 1984 through 1987, and was an All-American pitcher. He played inMajor League Baseball from 1988 through 2001 for theBaltimore Orioles,Houston Astros,New York Mets,Milwaukee Brewers andCincinnati Reds.
Harnisch studiedaccounting, and was a star pitcher atFordham University, compiling a 21–3 college record, 2.29earned run average and 213strikeouts in 204innings pitched.[1] He was a supplemental first round pick (27th overall) for theBaltimore Orioles in the1987 Major League Baseball draft. Just over a year after signing with Baltimore, Harnisch made his major league debut as a September call-up in 1988. He was 0–2 in two starts with a 5.54 ERA. He struck outDwight Evans for his first Major League strikeout. Harnisch spent two more seasons with the Orioles, splitting both seasons between Baltimore and their triple A affiliate, theRochester Red Wings.
In a transaction considered by Orioles fans as the worst in team history according toThom Loverro,[2] Harnisch was traded along withSteve Finley andCurt Schilling to theHouston Astros forGlenn Davis on January 10, 1991. He joined an Astros organization that was for sale and lightening its payroll by going with younger, inexpensive players.[3]
Harnisch suffered from a lack of run support upon his arrival in Houston. Despite leading theNational League (NL) with a 2.22 ERA, his record stood at 5–7 leading into the1991 MLB All-Star Game. NL managerLou Piniella added Harnisch to his squad regardless of his losing record, and Harnisch pitched a scoreless sixth inning in the NL's 4–2 loss.[4]
On September 6, 1991, Harnisch threw animmaculate inning, striking out all three batters on nine total pitches in the ninth inning of a 3–1 win over thePhiladelphia Phillies;[5] he became the 17th National League pitcher and the 26th pitcher in major-league history to accomplish this feat.[6] Harnisch went 7–2 after the break to end the season at 12–9. He led the league with a .212batting average against and 7.020hits per nine innings pitched.
Astros managerArt Howe named Harnisch his 1992 opening day starter. Harnisch pitched well, giving up just tworuns in the eighth to theAtlanta Braves, however, the Astros were held to just twohits by Braves starterTom Glavine, and Harnish took the loss.[7] His best season was 1993, when he went 16–9 with a 2.98 ERA and 185 strikeouts while tying theChicago White Sox'sJack McDowell with a major league leading fourshutouts and leading the NL for a second time with a .214 batting average against and 7.070 hits allowed per nine innings pitched.
A torn tendon in his pitching arm caused Harnisch to miss the entire month of June 1994, and limited him to just 17 starts all season. Following the season, he was traded to theNew York Mets. During his four seasons in Houston, Harnisch compiled a 45–33 record and a 3.41 ERA.
Harnisch's first season inNew York City did not go well, as he went 2–8 with a 3.68 ERA in eighteen starts. His record improved to 8–12 in 31 starts[8] in 1996, although he drew an eight-game suspension for his part in a brawl with theChicago Cubs on May 11.[9]
Harnisch quit chewing tobacco duringSpring training 1997. Shortly afterwards, he complained to Mets trainer Fred Hina of sleeplessness and a lost appetite. Hina prescribed sleeping pills for Harnisch prior to his opening day start for the Mets against theSan Diego Padres. After pitching five scoreless innings, Harnisch was pulled after starting the sixth inning by giving up consecutive home runs toChris Gomez,Rickey Henderson andQuilvio Veras.[10] He was pulled from his next scheduled start on April 6, and sent back to New York for tests. Following which, he received a diagnosis ofclinical depression.[11]
He revealed his condition in a conference call with sportswriters later that month,[12] and began a rehabilitation program that kept him from the Mets' line-up for four months. He returned to the Mets on August 5, pitching six innings and giving up two runs to theSt. Louis Cardinals atShea Stadium.[13] He was, however, far less effective in his next three starts, and was 0–1 with an 8.24 ERA when managerBobby Valentine moved him into thebullpen.
Harnisch made three starts and onerelief appearance for Milwaukee, and signed with theCincinnati Reds as a free agent following the season. He enjoyed something of a renaissance with the Reds in 1998, going 14–7 with a 3.14 ERA for a team that went 77–85 and finished in fourth place in theNational League Central. The club improved considerably in 1999 with Harnisch leading the club in wins (16), innings pitched (198.1) and shutouts (2). His sixteenth victory came on October 3 in the 162nd game of the season against the Brewers to improve his club's record to 96–66,[14] and end the season tied with the Mets for the National League's wild card. The Mets won a one-game playoff atCinergy Field the following day.[15]
Harnisch spent two more seasons in Cincinnati. Injuries limited him to just seven starts in 2001. After sitting out the entire 2002 season, he attempted a comeback with the Reds' triple A affiliate, theLouisville Bats in 2003, but was unsuccessful.
In November 2012, Harnisch was hired by theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim to be a roving pitching instructor.[16]
As of 2009[update], Harnisch lives inColts Neck, New Jersey, with his wife, Donna, and two sons, Jack and Nick.[17]
Harnisch was inducted into theSuffolk Sports Hall of Fame onLong Island, New York, in the Baseball Category with the Class of 2009.
| W | L | PCT | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | K | WP | HBP | BAA | Fld% |
| 111 | 103 | .519 | 3.89 | 321 | 318 | 24 | 11 | 0 | 1959 | 1822 | 846 | 926 | 223 | 716 | 1368 | 50 | 49 | .245 | .953 |
| Preceded by | NLShutouts Leader 1993 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | NLHits per nine innings Leader 1991 1993 | Succeeded by Curt Schilling Greg Maddux |
| Preceded by Sid Fernandez Curt Schilling | NLBatting average against Leader 1991 1993 | Succeeded by Curt Schilling Greg Maddux |
· Baseball Almanac