Sleeper of the Week

Rich Harden has been the most talked-about minor leaguer since Mark Prior, thanks to his incredible streak of retiring 39 straight batters (17 on strikeouts) at AA Midland. Now, it seems as if Harden’s call-up to the big leagues could be at hand, particularly if Aaron Harang doesn’t bounce back from a poor outing at Philadelphia. If you want him (and don’t already have him stashed away on your minor league roster), you’ll need to move quickly: Harden’s debut will attract lots of attention.

Since dominating AA hitters, Harden has looked good at AAA Sacramento in spite of minor injuries, posting a 7-2 record with a 3.23 era while striking out 57 in 55.2 innings. The young right-hander’s fastball reaches 94 mph, and his split-finger is remarkably polished. If Harden can master off-speed pitches as well, he’ll be able to succeed at any level.

Don’t expect too much too soon from Harden, who, after all, is only twenty years old. Oakland is a great place for a young pitcher to develop, however, and Harden will benefit greatly from the tutelage of Tim Hudson, Barry Zito, and Mark Mulder. Given time, Harden could develop into a fantasy force, particularly in leagues that value strikeouts. Picking him up is a good risk to take in single-season leagues; in keeper formats, he’s a must have.