Pete Harnisch

Peter Thomas Harnisch (born September 23, 1966) is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played in college at Fordham University from 1984 through 1987, and was an All-American pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball from 1988 through 2001 for the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds.

Harnisch studied accounting, and was a star pitcher at Fordham University, compiling a 21–3 college record, 2.29 earned run average and 213 strikeouts in 204 innings pitched. He was a supplemental first round pick (27th overall) for the Baltimore Orioles in the 1987 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 out Dwight 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, the Rochester Red Wings.

In a transaction considered by Orioles fans as the worst in team history according to Thom Loverro, Harnisch was traded along with Steve Finley and Curt Schilling to the Houston Astros for Glenn Davis on January 10, 1991. He joined an Astros organization that was for sale and lightening its payroll by going with younger, inexpensive players.

Harnisch suffered from a lack of run support upon his arrival in Houston. Despite leading the National League (NL) with a 2.22 ERA, his record stood at 5–7 leading into the 1991 MLB All-Star Game. NL manager Lou 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.

On September 6, 1991, Harnisch threw an immaculate inning, striking out all three batters on nine total pitches in the ninth inning of a 3–1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies; he became the 17th National League pitcher and the 26th pitcher in major-league history to accomplish this feat. Harnisch went 7–2 after the break to end the season at 12–9. He led the league with a .212 batting average against and 7.020 hits per nine innings pitched.

Astros manager Art Howe named Harnisch his 1992 opening day starter. Harnisch pitched well, giving up just two runs in the eighth to the Atlanta Braves, however, the Astros were held to just two hits by Braves starter Tom Glavine, and Harnish took the loss. His best season was 1993, when he went 16–9 with a 2.98 ERA and 185 strikeouts while tying the Chicago White Sox's Jack McDowell with a major league leading four shutouts 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 the New York Mets. During his four seasons in Houston, Harnisch compiled a 45–33 record and a 3.41 ERA.

Harnisch's first season in New 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 in 1996, although he drew an eight-game suspension for his part in a brawl with the Chicago Cubs on May 11.