Running MLB Thread 2007 #1

Not much. Just a little more speculation because he didn't have a catch last night. From the Chronicle:

Harden won't start again until Tuesday at Baltimore because of the right shoulder stiffness that caused him to leave Sunday's game against the Yankees. That much had been expected, but Harden also did not play catch Wednesday.

Manager Bob Geren downplayed Harden's inactivity, saying that Harden doesn't need to throw until his scheduled bullpen and sides sessions Friday and Sunday, and pitching coach Curt Young said that Harden never was scheduled to play catch -- he was to throw only if he felt like it.

Harden said he'll do his bullpen Friday, and when asked how he felt, he gave a thumbs up sign.

Even so, the fact that Harden will get eight days off between starts shows that there is concern about the right-hander. An MRI exam revealed no structural damage in the shoulder, but according to assistant general manager David Forst, it did indicate that there is some irritation in the shoulder capsule. The extra days will allow that to subside.

 

I can't tell if this is all paranoid bullshit because of his history or a very real red flag. But I'm assuming the worst (fantasybaseballfanboylooser).

 

Which he showed neither of when we as an Oriole. Well, actually, he rose up the organizational ladder one year, then regressed the next - which helped get him traded.

 

Despite allowing Richie Sexson to hit a ball into orbit, Carlos Silva gets the win.

Of course, he needed the dumbest baserunning decision I've ever seen to bail he and Nathan out.

With runners on second and third and two out and a 5-3 Twins lead, some Mariner hits a two-hop single to Cuddyer in right. One run is in and Cuddyer bobbles the ball for half a second.

Adrian Beltre, inexplicably, attempts to score, and Castillo's relay beats Beltre to the plate by 10 feet, where Mike "molester mustache" Redmond applies the tag and the Twins escape with the win.

To recap for you Mariners fans:

Weaver bombed in game one, tying run thrown out at the plate in game two, Hernandez leaves without retiring a batter and you'll have to beat Santana today to avoid the sweep.

Should we all chip in and send Hargrove a case of beer?

 

Zeke, you sound pretty happy for a Twins fan right after another shaky outing for Nathan.

 

Nathan will be fine.

There are several contributing factors to his "shakiness" of late that I don't think will continue.

Gardy using him in non-save situations is the big one. He's terrible then.

Last night, nothing was smoked, and he looked like he was having trouble gripping the split in the cold. He had several two-strike counts on hitters who he couldn't put away without the split (or at least, the threat of the split.)

Warm weather, he'll be fine. As long as Gardy doesn't put him in during tie games in absolute defiance of all statistical analysis. And I'm not a huge stats guy, but look up his numbers with the Twins in non-save situations, and they're horrendous. He's a three-out savant.

 

I know. Just couldn't resist the opening. Plus, I know you have Nathan in the SportsJournalists.com Money League only because I am an idiot.

 

The Red Sox and Blue Jays are already in the sixth inning? Didn't realize they started that early.

 

Roy Halladay is pitching for Toronto, so that will keep it moving.

 

Pretty good pitchers duel going between Roy Halladay and Julian Tavarez in that game.

 

Speaking of idiots, I have been posting on this thread repeatedly without realizing it is a fantasy haven. Great Kooka Kooka, lemme outta here!

 

Using "pitchers duel" and "Julian Tavarez" in the same sentence.... who would believe it.