Cubs Pick Up Harden's Option

[love_that_reefer]

Cubs exercised RHP Rich Harden’s $7 million option for 2009.
The Chicago Tribune reports that Harden's shoulder examination turned up nothing that will require surgery, making this an easy decision. Harden was 10-2 with a 2.07 ERA in his 25 starts for the A's and Cubs this year.

Harden has some of the best stuff in baseball but the guy can barely make it past the 5th inning. $7 million is the perfect price for a pitcher with his stuff and his history of injuries. Cubs better hope his shoulder holds up next year or they will go 101 years without a title.

[missionhockey21]

Harden, always a risk, but at $7 million it really was a no-brainer (especially for a team of a financial position like the Cubs.) Where it will get dicey is when Harden is looking for a contract extension.... that could go down in flames.

[love_that_reefer]

Just wait till Cuban buys the team.

[nick]

Cuban on board or not, you don't neccesarily want to invest something like 85-110$ million over 6-7 years (maybe even more money/years, I dunno) for a guy who has always been a pretty huge injury risk his entire career. Phenomenal stuff or not, like you said, he usually goes 5 per game... 6-7 when he's really on. I don't think he went 8 but maybe once this entire year...

A long contract for a pitcher is a huge risk period... and honestly... if Harden can't throw 200 innings next year, depending on what he's looking for as a FA I might just let him explore offers if I was in control of the situation. Otherwise, I'm sure in time it would be just like having another Mark Prior/Kerry Wood in the rotation. Maybe not, but I wouldn't take the chance.

[DMBZeppelin]

As long as the Cubs don't build the rotation around him, I'm fine with whatever they pay him. Zambrano is your number 1, and as long as Harden if your 3, 4, or 5. It's not a big deal if he misses time. The Cubs said next year they'll do the same things this year with letting him skip a start once in a while, or giving him an extra day here or there.

They are going to make sure he's ready. After his MRI's came back clean meaning he doesn't need surgery, they are going to put him on an off season plan to strengthen his shoulder.

[love_that_reefer]

Cuban on board or not, you don't neccesarily want to invest something like 85-110$ million over 6-7 years (maybe even more money/years, I dunno) for a guy who has always been a pretty huge injury risk his entire career. Phenomenal stuff or not, like you said, he usually goes 5 per game... 6-7 when he's really on. I don't think he went 8 but maybe once this entire year...

A long contract for a pitcher is a huge risk period... and honestly... if Harden can't throw 200 innings next year, depending on what he's looking for as a FA I might just let him explore offers if I was in control of the situation. Otherwise, I'm sure in time it would be just like having another Mark Prior/Kerry Wood in the rotation. Maybe not, but I wouldn't take the chance.

I was making a joke that Cuban would probably give him a deal like that because he isn;t exactly the best at signing or making moves. He's rich but his GM skills aren't great.