Should we trade Harden?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

For a team that hates money, a 3/30 plus incentives for Harden is not that big of a gamble.

 

FYP

[Little Slide Rooter]

I love the guy but really think this year may end up being a fluke.

 

If anything, his first have was a fluke.

[jersey cubs fan]

I love the guy but really think this year may end up being a fluke.

 

How could you think this year is a fluke? It's pretty much what you would expect. He spent some time injured, but when healthy he's pitched great. He did the same thing last year, and that's pretty much what he's done throughout his career. Even if you call his relative health and durability a fluke, it's not like he's on pace for 30 starts and 200 innings and it's not like he's outperforming past seasons either.

[Atta Boy]

I love the guy but really think this year may end up being a fluke.

 

How could you think this year is a fluke? It's pretty much what you would expect. He spent some time injured, but when healthy he's pitched great. He did the same thing last year, and that's pretty much what he's done throughout his career. Even if you call his relative health and durability a fluke, it's not like he's on pace for 30 starts and 200 innings and it's not like he's outperforming past seasons either.

 

Just to clarify, the fluke statement was 100 percent about his health. For the course of the year he may have missed some time but he has been pretty healthy besides the short dl stint he had earlier in the year. If you had told me before the year that he would make 25 starts I would have been thrilled. This will be only his third year making 25 starts and this will be his third most innings pitched. I don't think that it is unreasonable at all to expect less than that of him a few times in the next four years.

[davell]

2-20ish with some incentives sounds almost too good to pass up, based on what you COULD get out of him. The main question becomes are the Cubs really able to take any risks at all right now with their payroll situation being as precarious as it is? We really need some of our minor leaguers to develop so we can have some good, cheap production to offset some of these albatross-like contracts.

[SouthSideRyan]

Well one of those 25 start years was last year...which also was his 2nd highest inning total. I'm not saying he's over any injury risk, but if you take extra care with him, I think it's reasonable to hope for 150 innings per year.

[Cubbie Swagger]

I'd like to see Harden in our rotation in 2010.