I'm with 3rd on this one as time will tell, but Minaya has had a good track record with these kind of deals so maybe this will be a good deal with us.
From Wikipedia... In 2005, Harden began the season with the Athletics, but was sidelined with an oblique injury and missed more than a month (May 14-June 21) due to it. He returned and pitched a 2 hit complete game shutout against the Rangers, and was perfect for 7+ innings. One month later, threw a 1 hitter but led to a no decision. Harden had a 10-5 record with an ERA of 2.63 ERA, but he injured his right shoulder on August 19th, sidelining him until September 25. Harden appeared in three games late in the season, pitching 5 innings of shutout ball, striking out seven and walking one. He finished the year with a 10-5 win-loss record, an ERA of 2.57 and 121 strike outs in 128 innings. He allowed only seven HR's all season long, and despite the injuries, he emerged as the ace of the Oakland Athletics pitching staff. In 2006, Harden has had two lengthy stints on the DL, spending most of the season there. He came back from the DL on September 21, 2006 for a short but outstanding start, going 3 innings allowing 1 run and recording 7 strikeouts. Harden once strained his shoulder while attempting to turn off an alarm clock.
speaking of injury prone aces , what is up with Ben Sheets? I have always liked his stuff but hate his health issues.
Oh man, Harden is so talented it isn't even funny, but we'd need to bubble wrap him between starts and store him in an oxygen tank.
04:13 PM - Blog: Mets and A's to Meet This Afternoon ...posted by Matthew Cerrone... At his blog for the Journal News, John Delcos reports that the Mets and A’s are scheduled to meet this afternoon. In a previous post, Delcos gives a quick scouting report on A’s RHP Rich Harden, courtesy of Ranger manager Ron Washington, who was a coach in Oakland the last few years.
...posted by Matthew Cerrone... While talking on-air with ESPN Radio in New York, SI’s Jon Heyman floated names such as Lastings Milledge, Oliver Perez and Aaron Heilman in connection with the Mets talks with the A’s about RHP Rich Harden.
That is too much. Maybe Maine. Perez has too much potential too be a throw in. We are not the Pirates.
Lastings and Heilman would be the most i would give up for a injury prone guy like Harden. Billy Bean has a man crush of Heilman and it looks more and more like Lastings has no future in NY.
