Texas Rangers Rotation Analysis: Matt Harrison

Going into spring training, we knew of two pitchers that needed to prove something in order to stay with the ball club.

Matt Harrison was one of them.

In past offseasons, he was considered to be a third starter in the rotation but has suffered mechanistic setbacks and injuries. He won a spot in the 2011 rotation and was set to be the third starter behind C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis.

While not a surprise to some people like myself, Harrison is off to a 3-0 start while he wows fans and frustrates opposing batters.

Harrison has changed his mechanics and overall physical build since his debut in July 2008. His weight is down and he looks a lot thinner in the chest; however, this hasn't hurt his velocity or control at all. 

His windup motion is much smoother and quicker, which seems to be an evolution that can be seen in his starts throughout the years. These gradual changes have improved his control, and his velocity has seen an increase this year.

Another important aspect of his evolution has been the mental approach to the game that he has been using during spring. He has told reporters that he needs to be dominant against every batter, and it certainly has shown through average velocity and the no-fear attack plan he has used against hitters like Adrian Gonzalez and Mark Teixeira.

In his first three starts of 2011, Harrison has faced an average of 27 batters per game. His strikeout-per-nine-innings ratio is 5.7 and he is getting almost 50 percent of opposing batters to ground out. His strikeout number is at 14, with his third-strike pitches being a four-seam fastball that peaks at 97 miles per hour and a change-up that drops to 84 miles per hour.

The best game of the three so far was clearly his first start of the year, which came against the Red Sox, a team experts were saying had the best offensive potential in MLB this year.

Harrison went seven innings, tossing seven strikeouts, two walks, five hits and one run, while throwing 71 of his 108 pitches for strikes. The control of his pitches is the exact control that scouts had praised him for having while he was in the minors, and it's a tool that he has recovered over the past few seasons.

Reliability is going to be a big question mark for Harrison, and it's not conclusive that he will be able to last all season. He has had at least one stint on the disabled list every year since 2008 and has battled injuries throughout his career.

It's also likely that he will run out of steam with this increased workload. But considering this is a pitcher who has defeated a team that later won the World Series like the Yankees and outdueled a Cy Young winner in Felix Hernandez, it shouldn't be a surprise if he shines through the doubt.