Holy Crap - Barry Rozner wrote a good column

David · August 12, 2008

On Harden's awesomeness...

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=227010

Harden hasn't been good since he got here. He's been spectacular, his stuff worthy of no-hit possibilities in each start but one...

Harden enters tonight's game in Atlanta with a 1-1 record and sparkling 2.10 ERA in his 5 Cubs starts, to go along with a brilliant 14.1 strikeouts per 9 innings, the highest of his career, and a staggering WHIP of only 1.03, the lowest of his career.

He absolutely shut down the Braves when he saw them while with Oakland earlier this season, and Atlanta manager Bobby Cox called Harden the best pitcher he's seen all year.

I love that something written in a mainstream publication calls those numbers what they are, instead of pointlessly referencing his W-L record

That's nice, but it won't make the Cubs feel any better if they lose a starter who can throw 100 mph.

"I don't really try to do that anymore,'' Harden said. "That's more when you break in and are trying to impress people, but I don't feel like I have to do that.

"I've learned I can be successful as I get older, with less velocity and more control, and it takes a lot of stress off the arm, too.''

That should give Cubs fans hope that Harden can survive long enough to get through October. But it wouldn't be a bad idea for the Cubs to stop messing around and blow the division away already, so that they can give players like Harden some extra time to get ready for the postseason.

"If we're fortunate enough to lock it up early or get out to a big lead, maybe we can do more,'' Hendry said. "But I think it's working out great the way it is so far.''

That's good, because with a healthy Harden, it's simply very difficult to imagine a Fall Classic without the Chicago National League entry.

We'd say it's darn near impossible for the Cubs to fall short of an N.L. flag, but knowing how that sort of confidence frightens the masses, we'll just leave it at this:

Keep Rich Harden on the mound, and let him worry about the rest.

David · August 12, 2008

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=226945

Another good piece on Harden.

PrimeTime · August 12, 2008

Exactly..Don't want him to throw 96-98 everytime and blow out his arm and just throw it wherever with poor location, Hes mixed it so effectivley with that fastball anywhere from 90-98 with that filthy change..I just hope him and Z had their poor starts starts and got it out of the way because all pitchers have that one game when theyre not on..cheers to 25 games over tommarrow