Is something wrong with Harden?

[17 Seconds]

Maybe this doesn't deserve it's own thread, but it seems like there's more than just an illness going on wth Harden.

First there's this

 

Rich Harden, scratched from Friday's game because he was ill, will pitch in the Cubs' Minor League camp on Wednesday to get back on track for the regular season.

Harden is expected to throw 70-75 pitches on Wednesday, which is an off-day for the rest of the Major League camp.

 

Which is kind of weird, and then Lou says this

 

"If he's ready by the time the season starts, he's ready," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said Saturday, "and if not, we've got [sean] Marshall, who's ready, and we can throw [Harden] into the fifth-starter spot and give Harden more time."

 

So what is really going on? It sounds by Lou's comments there are some concerns over his arm right now

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090321&content_id=4043228&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

[B]

good thing he's not on the Cubs.

[UMFan83]

The concern is that because of his slow start to cactus league action, his arm won't be ready to go the first run around the rotation. That's why missing yesterday's start is a big deal. I have read nothing that suggests that it was anything more than an illness, but this being the Cubs, its appropriate to speculate within reason (see: my post in yesterday's game thread)

[17 Seconds]

I thought they said he threw a simulated game yesterday morning instead his start?

[CubColtPacer]

I thought they said he threw a simulated game yesterday morning instead his start?

 

That was what somebody said, but I can't find any confirmation of it. It doesn't really make sense anyway. The reason he was scratched from his start is because he was too weak. They would send him home to rest not ask him to throw a simulated game instead.

 

They want to build up Harden's arm strength slowly and his late start to ST and his illness have hurt that. I'm not worrying that it is anything more than the clock is ticking on building up that endurance in time for his first start of the year.

[fivepercent]

He was originally supposed to throw a simulated game but they decided he was too sick for that.

 

Obviously with the Cubs and Harden's history this raises a bit of a red flag, but I'm not too worried yet.

[pitchcs]

I'm pretty sure there is just something constantly wrong with Harden. The Cubs know this, we know this; it is what it is I guess.

[wvcbxl]

I'm pretty sure there is just something constantly wrong with Harden.

 

You mean he's Canadian?

Other than that obvious flaw, I don't think there's anything wrong with him.

[Mephistopheles]

Only you would have to ask this question.

 

January 18th: Rich Harden has a tear in his shoulder.

 

March 21: Is something wrong with Harden?

[UMFan83]

Only you would have to ask this question.

 

January 18th: Rich Harden has a tear in his shoulder.

 

March 21: Is something wrong with Harden?

 

Well I think everyone that posted in this thread was already well aware of that. But the Cubs have been stating he will be good enough to pitch in the regular season.

[Mephistopheles]

We *should* know that the Cubs *don't* know if he will or will not. Shoulder injuries are the most difficult injuries to put any sort of time table on. You can be fine one day and terrible the next and then fine the next. That's the way these injuries are. Everyone *should* know this.

 

 

Too bad they don't.

 

The Cubs have no idea if Harden will be ready by May 1st, much less April 10th, or whenever his first start would be.

[tarheelnation50]

Isn't something always wrong with Harden?

[danonwaveland]

Until I hear something about towel drills, I'm not going to worry.

________________________________________

Sandberg>Mazeroski>Morgan

[Bull]

I thought we outlawed towel jokes. Can anyone confirm??

[RedFlash]

I thought we outlawed towel jokes. Can anyone confirm??

 

With this organization you can't get anything confirmed.

[Bull]

I thought we outlawed towel jokes. Can anyone confirm??

 

With this organization you can't get anything confirmed.

 

well played, but I think NSBB is run better than the Chicago National League Ballclub.

[otis89]

Sounds like he's OK now.

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090325&content_id=4066270&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

[David]

Here's more of a recap from Bruce's blog...

 

http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/1695

 

MESA, Ariz. _ Off-days? There are no off-days in baseball. Spent part of a nice afternoon watching Rich Harden pitch against the Oakland A's top farm club. He looked pretty good over 4 innings, throwing 63 pitches. The fastball had plenty of pop (about 92 mph) and late movement; we were standing behind the backstop at Fitch Park, which gives you a good look at the pitches. Foul balls from one game, though, often land on the adjacent field, where another game is going on at the same time.

 

Harden and pitching coach Larry Rothschild both said Harden's quirky right shoulder is just fine. Putting a number of starts Harden will make this year is hard to predict, but you've got to believe the Cubs would take 25.

 

"I don't know," Larry said. "Right now, everything is real positive. It (the shoulder) has held up well. He's had no problems. Again, we've got a lot of innings to go and a lot of games to start. From our side, we have to be aware of what the needs might be, and if they don't happen, that's great."

[anabiono]

the needs will happen, he is glass vase comprised of a multitude of tiny cracks

 

when will that fat lady sing?

 

may 6th

[Guest]

Arizona Phil / The Cub Reporter[/url]"]Harden worked the first four innings, and looked pretty good. He threw 63 pitches (42 strikes - 21 balls), and kept his fastball at the belt or higher on every hitter (he struck out four and got seven fly outs, but no ground outs), mixing in a change-up that he had trouble commanding.

 

Here's Harden's day:

 

1st inning: 1) K - swinging (that would be ex-Cub Eric Patterson), 2) ground single to LF, 3) F-9 in foul territiry, and 4) pop up to CF.

 

2nd inning: 1) line out to CF, 2) line single to CF, 3) F-7 to medium-deep LF, and 4) K - swinging.

 

3rd inning: 1) fly out to CF 2) bloop broken-bat single to short CF, 3-A ) Koyie Hill threw out baserunner trying to steal 2nd 2-4, 3-B) Strike out - called (Eric Patterson again).

 

4th inning: 1) Strike out - swinging, 2) F-9, 3) F-9.

 

Harden said he felt great, and I can confirm that he did NOT grab his shoulder at any point while he was on the mound, he was NOT carried off the field on a stretcher, and in fact, after he finished his post-outing stretching, he shook hands with a number of the A's players and coaches on the River Cats bench (Harden is understandably well-known among the Oakland A's family) and then he spent about 15 minutes siging autographs, before finally heading for the Fitch Park clubhouse.

 

So that's 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 0 GO-7 FO, 63 pitches (42 strikes). Koyie Hill specifically was at Fitch to catch Harden.

[YearofDaCubs]

I don't know what to expect from Harden with his velocity being around 92mph. I'm sure he can make adjustments with his loss of velocity but I'm not expecting an ace-type (when healthy) pitcher any more.

[David]

I don't know what to expect from Harden with his velocity being around 92mph. I'm sure he can make adjustments with his loss of velocity but I'm not expecting an ace-type (when healthy) pitcher any more.

 

 

Huh?

 

92 is pretty much what he averaged last year, IIRC.

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't know what to expect from Harden with his velocity being around 92mph. I'm sure he can make adjustments with his loss of velocity but I'm not expecting an ace-type (when healthy) pitcher any more.

 

92 or not (~10 innings into his spring), if/when he's on the mound, I expect ace-type results.

[David]

He would throw fastballs anywhere from the high 80s to the high 90s and I'm pretty sure his average fastball velocity when we looked it up was right around 92.

 

It would vary from start to start, too. From what I remember, he wasn't touching 90 as much in his last few starts but when he was really dominant (around when we picked him up) he was all over the map. He'd sit around 89-91 and then dial it right up to 97 for some pitches.

[David]

I don't know what to expect from Harden with his velocity being around 92mph. I'm sure he can make adjustments with his loss of velocity but I'm not expecting an ace-type (when healthy) pitcher any more.

 

I was looking up old threads to try to confirm what I posted and noticed this...

 

viewtopic.php?p=1952855#p1952855

 

You know I really do believe Harden when he says he's took off velocity on purpose. There are times where he will be throwing his fastball at 88 and at times 94-95 and the occasional 97-98. Call me crazy but I do believe him when he says he's not throwing as hard to prevent injury. He's had only 1 bad outing since he's been there. That is incredible.

 

 

Basically the same thing I just said. You should know better. :D