Rich Harden: should he be a closer?

[Rose4theHall]

I mean, he already basically is one ready, only he can pitch 9 with a closers' stuff and intimidation etc.

His injury report so far averages 3 trips to the DL PER SEASON. This is simply not good enough, we shouldnt really have to start the year with 7 starters knowing Harden and whoever else will be hurt at some point.

Something must be done here, he is the best pitcher in the AL IMO when he's not hurt and a move to a closers role would suit him perfectly, and imagine the combo of him+street working the 7th-9th? GAME OVER.

[mlazar]

I wonder why we have never seen in baseball a team that has no starters...you have a staff of 12 pitchers..maybe they could flip - flop around and each throw an inning ? any thoughts that this might work ? When Beane contacts me after firing Macha (soon) and our team fitness/ trainer ( who looks like the unhealthiest trainer I've ever seen(Davis), I will implement this type of pitching staff....

[KCGHOST]

This guy is way too good to be a closer. The A's have to figure out a way to get him through the injury nexus so he can really show us what he can do.

[Zito75]

I'm thinking we can trade him to the Cubs- they seem to like pitchers with tons of potential that can never stay healthy...:laugh

[Outta Here]

This guy is way too good to be a closer. The A's have to figure out a way to get him through the injury nexus so he can really show us what he can do.

Agree, plus Street rules :D :gt

[wilkerson_rulz-06]

Ummm, please don't let this turn into antoher Kerry Wood-who-is-always-injured-closer saga!

Harden is too good to close games, besides you have Street.
Now maybe if Harden was dealt to the Braves, maybe he could close them out there and when Smoltz retires, go to the rotation and get Wil Startup for Braves closer.

[Zito75]

Ummm, please don't let this turn into antoher Kerry Wood-who-is-always-injured-closer saga!



Dude, in Current Events you said A's fans ignore the truth... I am keeping it as real as it gets here... :laugh

[flying27]

Reasons he should be a closer:

1)The Orioles have alot of young "starting" pitching prospects coming up.

2)If he wants to pitch at the next WBC classic for Canada he would either need to be a reliever or closer(if Gagne is too injured). There was no room for him in the starting rotation this time with Francis, Bedard, Loewen, and Hill(although Hill missed with injury), and there would not be in 09.

3)He seems injury prone. Closing would help him stay healthier.

[mlazar]

Reasons he should be a closer:

1)The Orioles have alot of young "starting" pitching prospects coming up.

2)If he wants to pitch at the next WBC classic for Canada he would either need to be a reliever or closer(if Gagne is too injured). There was no room for him in the starting rotation this time with Francis, Bedard, Loewen, and Hill(although Hill missed with injury), and there would not be in 09.

3)He seems injury prone. Closing would help him stay healthier.


1. was he traded to the Orioles ? that's good news about the Orioles farm system, because they need it...but Harden was an Oakland A the last I looked.....

2. he's much , much better a pitcher then anyone on this Canadian list.
2A: Who cares about the next WBC ?

3. what relevance does starting/closing have to do with the chance of hurting your arm ?

[Captain Cold Nose]

1. was he traded to the Orioles ? that's good news about the Orioles farm system, because they need it...but Harden was an Oakland A the last I looked.....

2. he's much , much better a pitcher then anyone on this Canadian list.
2A: Who cares about the next WBC ?

3. what relevance does starting/closing have to do with the chance of hurting your arm ?
Closing would require less pitches, thus, less arm strain.
Outside of that, the first point baffled me enough, let alone the second. I doubt pitching in the next WBC is a chief concern for Harden currently, nor forthe people who would make the decision to move Harden to closer.

[flying27]

Sorry I meant, the Athletics farm mystem of course. I think Harden cares alot about the WBC, he said he was very dissapointed to miss it. With Shawn Hill injured he probably would have been Canada's #3 starter behind Francis and Bedard. For 2009 it is even more unlikely he would be able to crack the starting rotation with Bedard, Francis, Harden, and Hill. So moving to a closer, or a reliever, will alow him to make the team more easily. Also closers tend to get fewer injuries and he has proven to be injury prone.

[Catfish27]

I wonder why we have never seen in baseball a team that has no starters...you have a staff of 12 pitchers..maybe they could flip - flop around and each throw an inning ? any thoughts that this might work ? ....
Actually, the A's tried this sort of experiment a few years back. The idea was to have three pitchers pitch three innings each, or something along those lines, then bring the starter back after only a few days rest. It obviously wasn't very successful so it didn't last very long.

Does anyone else remember this? I think it was in the mid- to late-1990s.

[Zito75]

Actually, the A's tried this sort of experiment a few years back. The idea was to have three pitchers pitch three innings each, or something along those lines, then bring the starter back after only a few days rest. It obviously wasn't very successful so it didn't last very long.

Does anyone else remember this? I think it was in the mid- to late-1990s.

I remember that... Sounds like classic Tony LaRussa- much like him experimenting with the pitcher batting 8th in the NL.

[mlazar]

Sorry I meant, the Athletics farm mystem of course. I think Harden cares alot about the WBC, he said he was very dissapointed to miss it. With Shawn Hill injured he probably would have been Canada's #3 starter behind Francis and Bedard. For 2009 it is even more unlikely he would be able to crack the starting rotation with Bedard, Francis, Harden, and Hill. So moving to a closer, or a reliever, will alow him to make the team more easily. Also closers tend to get fewer injuries and he has proven to be injury prone.

Once again,it is not even close... he is by far the best pitcher from Canada....and I do not agree with a closer being less injury free... ie: Gagne,Benitez,Duscherer, Street,Walker, Foulke ,Dotel, just to name a few have all gone down...if you have a bad arm or bad mechanics you are going to have arm trouble if you are a starter or a closer...