"The losing didn't stop for Aaron Harang when the season did.

Stung by his career-high 17 losses last season, the Cincinnati Reds and former A's right-hander got a quicker start on his offseason conditioning program, one that he ratcheted up to make more grueling. He lifted weights, he ran sprints, he ate healthy foods.

The stocky starter lost 33 pounds in an effort to make sure that hideous season didn't happen again.

"That was a tough year on him last year," manager Dusty Baker said. "Different people handle those tough years in a different way. But I think he really dedicated himself over the winter. You don't lose that weight in a month. You dedicate yourself for three or four months. It's really tough to do that.

"It shows you how badly he wanted to return to excellence."

Once glance says it all.

The 6-foot-7 pitcher who went 6-7 in 23 outings (21 starts) with the A's from 2002-03 is noticeably thinner around the middle. During his career-worst season in 2008, he topped out at 284 pounds. He was hurt for nearly a month, with a strained right forearm disabling him from mid-July to early August. As the losses added up - he finished 6-17, tying Houston's Brandon Backe for most losses in the National League - the pounds did, too.

Something had to change.

Instead of taking most of November off to recuperate from the long season, Harang started his daily workouts early

in the month. He also increased the intensity and rarely missed a day.

His waist started to shrink.

"It wasn't something that I planned on doing," he said of the weight loss. "It just kind of happened. I went home (to San Diego) and changed my workouts to keep my heart rate up. I was eating healthy and doing all my workouts. The weight just kind of fell off. I feel real good. I guess you could say I feel more agile out there. I think I'm going to notice it more over the long haul this season."

He noticed it the first time he stepped on the mound in Florida. Down to 251 pounds, he could put more into the final stage of his delivery. The subtle change had quite an effect on his pitches.

"The ball was flattening out," Harang said. "So we've had to make some adjustments. It's still kind of new, and I have to get a feel for it. Other than that, I feel good.""