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Thursday, February 09, 2012

RICH HARDEN TO MISS 2012 DUE TO SHOULDER SURGERY

It happens every spring….

According to MLB Network and NESN analyst Peter Gammons (via twitter), right-hander Rich Harden underwent season-ending surgery to repair his right shoulder. Gammons tweeted: After 5 years of ‘always being hurt’ with a torn capsule, Rich Harden last week had surgery, aiming to come back in 2013–healthy. Finally.

The development offered a reminder of the trade to which the Red Sox and Athletics agreed on July 30 (one day before last year’s trade deadline) only to have the Sox call off the deal upon reviewing Harden’s medical records. The deal would have sent Harden to the Sox for first baseman Lars Anderson and a player to be named (both Raul Alcantara and Brandon Workman were on a list of players from which the A’s could select a player).

Harden, who turned 30 following the season, was 2-1 with a 4.30 ERA, 30 strikeouts and 10 walks in 29 1/3 innings at the time of the almost-trade. Though the Sox thought that he was unlikely to make more than a handful of starts down the stretch, Harden remained healthy enough to make 10 starts over the final two months of the season, albeit with mixed results. He struck out an impressive 61 batters (and walked 21) in 53 1/3 innings, but went just 2-3 with a 5.57 ERA while averaging 5 1/3 innings per start.

Your move Nick Johnson.

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: February 09, 2012 at 03:04 PM | 16 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: athletics, injury, red sox

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1. Moneyball can't buy you love (Joey B.) Posted: February 09, 2012 at 03:11 PM (#4057345)

The hardest-throwing arm made out of paper mache' in the history of the game.

2. Athletic Supporter leads the nation in drifters Posted: February 09, 2012 at 03:17 PM (#4057354)

The hardest-throwing arm made out of paper mache' in the history of the game.

I really want to see a breakdown of this on Sport Science.

3. TVerik Posted: February 09, 2012 at 03:22 PM (#4057360)

The timing of this surgery is... interesting. Harden was a FA - did he spend a few months trying to get a long-term deal out of someone while hiding this fact? Could he have passed a physical if he did?

I guess I'm asking why he didn't have this in November, or December, or January?

I also want to point out that this is the most positive story about the vaunted Red Sox medical staff I can think of. They saw the history and (I'd assume) the MRIs and other things about Harden, and told the team to stay away. And this surgery suggests that they were correct to do so.

4. A triple short of the cycle

Posted: February 09, 2012 at 03:37 PM (#4057374)

When he was healthy - Harden's offspeed pitch was one of the best pitches I have seen. It was a split finger or changeup or something not the fastball. The delivery and the release were the same though. He made a lot of hitters look real bad with that.

5. RJ in TO Posted: February 09, 2012 at 03:45 PM (#4057381)

I also want to point out that this is the most positive story about the vaunted Red Sox medical staff I can think of. They saw the history and (I'd assume) the MRIs and other things about Harden, and told the team to stay away. And this surgery suggests that they were correct to do so.

If realizing that Rich Harden is hurt is the most positive story about a team's medical staff, it's a good sign that the medical staff should be fired (out of a cannon, into the sun). I could have told them that Harden was hurt without ever examining him. I mean, he's Rich Harden. Of course he's hurt.

Honestly, this sounds a lot more like the Red Sox FO getting cold feet, and then telling the medical staff to come up with an excuse to let them bail on the trade.

6. chris h. is a member of Team Keefe! Posted: February 09, 2012 at 04:26 PM (#4057415)

When he was healthy - Harden's offspeed pitch was one of the best pitches I have seen. It was a split finger or changeup or something not the fastball. The delivery and the release were the same though. He made a lot of hitters look real bad with that.

Agreed. Enjoyed having him on the Cubs briefly, when he could actually pitch.

7. outl13r Posted: February 09, 2012 at 04:40 PM (#4057434)

The hardest-throwing arm made out of paper mache' in the history of the game.

Matt Anderson and Joel Zumaya might have something to say about this honor.

8. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: February 09, 2012 at 04:55 PM (#4057448)

Agreed. Enjoyed having him on the Cubs briefly, when he could actually pitch.

Still one of my favorite trades of the Hendry era, even though Rich was wildly inconsistent in 2009. It was a nice response trade of sorts to the Brewers snagging Sabathia and one that I think kept them a step or two ahead of the Brewers down the stretch.

9. Ron J Posted: February 09, 2012 at 05:22 PM (#4057479)

#7 Not Matt Anderson. He threw very hard, got hurt and then didn't.

One of the cute lines from Prospectus that worked for me was on Anderson. Something very close to: Trying to come to terms with the loss of his best friend. His fastball.

10. Willie Mayspedes Posted: February 09, 2012 at 05:23 PM (#4057480)

The hardest-throwing arm made out of paper mache' in the history of the game.

What about Prior and Zumaya?

EDIT: Coke to #7

11. Danny Posted: February 09, 2012 at 05:35 PM (#4057490)

I also want to point out that this is the most positive story about the vaunted Red Sox medical staff I can think of. They saw the history and (I'd assume) the MRIs and other things about Harden, and told the team to stay away. And this surgery suggests that they were correct to do so.

Harden's off-season surgery after reaching free agency wouldn't have affected the Sox. A broken Harden was still likely an upgrade on Miller/Weiland.

12. cpass Posted: February 09, 2012 at 06:06 PM (#4057519)

The timing of this surgery is... interesting. Harden was a FA - did he spend a few months trying to get a long-term deal out of someone while hiding this fact? Could he have passed a physical if he did?

I guess I'm asking why he didn't have this in November, or December, or January?

He's had the injury since 2007 and every club he has been with since then has been aware of it. It wasn't public knowledge due to HIPAA, but since he decided to finally have it fixed he went public:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/02/08/SPAB1N5275.DTL

13. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: February 09, 2012 at 06:39 PM (#4057554)

Your move Nick Johnson.

Signing with the Orioles today.

14. TVerik Posted: February 09, 2012 at 07:13 PM (#4057580)

Harden's off-season surgery after reaching free agency wouldn't have affected the Sox. A broken Harden was still likely an upgrade on Miller/Weiland.

Sure. But there's a big difference between a mechanic telling you that your car will break down soon and one who tells you that it will break down next Wednesday at 2PM. I don't think any medical expert could tell one with any degree of confidence exactly how long a hurt pitcher will be able to pitch.

15. The Gurus DO NOT BourbonSamurai Posted: February 09, 2012 at 07:36 PM (#4057594)

I guess better than this than stringing everyone along and getting hurt two weeks in.

16. PepTech Posted: February 09, 2012 at 08:31 PM (#4057633)

I vividly remember my 2007 fantasy draft dilemma: Haren, or Harden? Harden, or Haren?

I chose poorly.

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Thursday, February 09, 2012

RICH HARDEN TO MISS 2012 DUE TO SHOULDER SURGERY

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