Tigers interested in A's Harden (!?!?!?!)

Hey Gang....This just in from Sportstime Ohio. The Tigers are one of 4 teams in trade talks with Oakland to land Rich Harden. I'm looking for something online in "print" to confirm this, but figured I'd give eveyone a heads up and say "You heard it here 1st!" LOL

When healthy (which is rare) he's very good.

we need consistency and talent in one package!

Oh, and throw healthy in there too!

I never thought i would say that this season, but we don't need a pitcher at the moment, we need a hitter! LOL

and lots of them!

Harden is back on the DL... source

TORONTO -- The Oakland Athletics placed right-hander Rich Harden on the 15-day disabled list Thursday, retroactive to April 3, and recalled right-hander Joey Devine from Triple-A Sacramento.

Harden, 1-0 with an 0.82 ERA in two starts, was bumped from his scheduled start Tuesday with a strained muscle below his right shoulder blade. Oakland hoped Harden would be healthy in time to face Cleveland on Saturday, but he was still sore after throwing from flat ground before Wednesday's game.

That forced the Athletics to put him on the disabled list for the sixth time in the past four years.

"He's just not going to be ready," manager Bob Geren said.

Harden first felt sore while throwing a side session after Oakland returned from a season-opening series in Japan. He was able to pitch five scoreless innings against Boston on April 2, but the pain persisted. An MRI on Sunday revealed the injury.

The 26-year-old Harden was limited to seven games for Oakland last season because of shoulder injuries.

Geren said the Athletics will shut Harden down for an undetermined number of days before letting him try to throw again.

Left-hander Lenny DiNardo is a candidate to pitch in Harden's spot against the Indians on Saturday, but Geren will wait and see before making any decision.

"We're just keeping all our options open," Geren said.

Devine was acquired in the offseason trade that sent outfielder Mark Kotsay to Atlanta.

A first-round pick by the Braves in 2005, Devine struck out four in two scoreless innings at Triple-A this season.

Right-hander Justin Duchscherer, on the 15-day DL with a strained right biceps, made 30 throws from 80 feet Thursday and reported no pain. Duchscherer left his start against Cleveland last Friday in the sixth inning because of pain in his arm and underwent an MRI. He is eligible to return April 20.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2007-2008, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

That Figures!

But.....come to think of it...if the A's are willing to trade him...his being on the DL would make him VERY Cheap!!

And after yesterday's piss-poor performance from our pitching staff...I think we could use all the help in that category as possible! We're not going to win a game by scoring 6 runs if our pitchers give up 12!!!!!!!!!

ok so i wouldnt mind having harden, he did K 8 or 9 against the red sox, so i think he would be good in the pen so we dont use his arm up too much starting him, and it would prevent firther injuries.

Ohios#1TigerFan wrote:

That Figures!

But.....come to think of it...if the A's are willing to trade him...his being on the DL would make him VERY Cheap!!

And after yesterday's piss-poor performance from our pitching staff...I think we could use all the help in that category as possible! We're not going to win a game by scoring 6 runs if our pitchers give up 12!!!!!!!!!

As good as Harden is I don't want him - he is ALWAYS on the DL. He's made just 15 starts since the start of 2006 and pitched just 211.3 innings since the start of 2005 (128.0 of them in 2005).

gdennis59 wrote:

ok so i wouldnt mind having harden, he did K 8 or 9 against the red sox, so i think he would be good in the pen so we dont use his arm up too much starting him, and it would prevent firther injuries.

The A's tried that last year. He pitched very well...but then he got hurt.

sounds pretty familiar!

That's too bad really cause he is good.

any port in a storm!

catbox_9 wrote:

Ohios#1TigerFan wrote:

That Figures!

But.....come to think of it...if the A's are willing to trade him...his being on the DL would make him VERY Cheap!!

And after yesterday's piss-poor performance from our pitching staff...I think we could use all the help in that category as possible! We're not going to win a game by scoring 6 runs if our pitchers give up 12!!!!!!!!!

As good as Harden is I don't want him - he is ALWAYS on the DL. He's made just 15 starts since the start of 2006 and pitched just 211.3 innings since the start of 2005 (128.0 of them in 2005).

Hmmm...to play Devil's Advocate....does that mean we should let Rodney, Zumaya and Kenny Roger's go ? I'm not saying Harden is the answer to our problems...not by a long shot......but we have a couple of our own pitchers that are always landing some SERIOUS time on the DL...yet we continue to keep them. I almost think Zoom (as much as I love him) has spent more time injured than he has healthy! I guess what my point is, is that we could use the help and can pray that not all 3 (Harden, Zoom, and Rodney) end up on the DL at the same time. If we have 3 great arms in the pen taking turns...chances of injury are lessend. Just something to consider.....that's all......I personally wouldn't close the door on the idea all together just yet....

But it depends how much the Tigers would have to give up to get Harden!

Well...as I said....if he's on the DL right now....the Tigers could most likely get him pretty cheap. Maybe a AA prospect and a 3rd round draft pick or something....as long as we pick up his salary. Most contracts have a clause that "insurance" pays the salary when players are injured....so it could be a cost effective move. Again....just something to think about. The economics don't sound too bad, and the upside of a healthy Harden could be worth it....

Something that the Tigers should consider doing!


You can never have enough quality pitching.

I hope they do consider it.....we need to consider SOMETHING to keep us pileing up the W's!!!!

I am just glad we won tonight.

I thought we be in big trouble when Willis left in the first inning!

Maybe this will get the Tigers going in the right direction!

We need to win the next two and take two [ at home]from the Twins and play at least 500 the next road trip!

GO TIGERS!

I think we'll be ok...it seems the boy sare having a tough time adjusting to the climate change from Florida's spring trainig and anyone who was even further south playing winter ball. Kinda hard to feel comfortable in 50* weather when you're used to 80*.

I look at our 1st week (the 0-7 slump) an extended spring training....they'll bounce back. They are too good to NOT bounce back!

If we can have a few more games like tonight, everything will fall into place.

2-8 is not where everyone thought they would be after 10 games ;but if we can take 8 of the next 10, we are back at 500!


And can take it from there!

GO TIGERS!