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Rich Harden update

From Will Carroll:

It's not looking good for Rich Harden. The oft-injured pitcher is reportedly headed for Tommy John surgery, ending his season and damaging the hopes of the Athletics, though there is no official confirmation. The team is celebrating its sweep of the Yankees, but behind the scenes, the team is trying to plan out how it will deal with the loss of their co-ace. Harden left just four innings into his return from the DL, injuring his elbow in a return from what is now being reported as an avulsion of his oblique rather than the previously indicated lower back injury. (I wonder what the A's put on the Standard Form when Harden was placed on the DL.) I'm not ready to compare Harden to someone like Steve Karsay or even Mark Prior, but it's interesting to note the rapid increase in pitching injuries for the A's over the past two seasons. No matter what the prognosis on Harden, it won't make the A's any more (or less) likely to deal Barry Zito.

If Harden is going to have T-J surgery, that is a pretty huge blow for the A's, both for 2006 and 2007 (since he's not likely to be back until the second half of 2007, if even then).

The A's, of course, have a lot of pitching depth, so it isn't as if they'll be looking at digging up Scott Erickson or Pedro Astacio or Andy Benes to try to fill Harden's spot in the rotation, but Harden is one of the best pitchers in the league, when healthy.  There's going to be a big dropoff from him to whomever takes his place.

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Steroids?
"it's interesting to note the rapid increase in pitching injuries for the A's over the past two seasons"  Just rampant speculation, but consider who the A's have had over the years. Giambi, Canseco, McGuire.
Buckrajas sucks

by WyoRanger on Jun 12, 2006 11:21 AM CDT   0 recs

It also...
...corresponds with the loss of Rick Peterson...

I'd think that may have more to do with it...

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 12, 2006 11:24 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I really doubt that
Good pitchers like that don't need babying...

by Longhorn on Jun 12, 2006 11:35 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I tend to believe...
...that the pitching coach can have an impact on whether pitchers stay healthy...

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 12, 2006 11:41 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Bingo
and his biomechanics analysis.

by SteveP on Jun 12, 2006 12:07 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

i wonder
if good ol juan dominguez would get a call up?

by Agreen07 on Jun 12, 2006 11:48 AM CDT   0 recs

Dominguez
I saw him pitch on Saturday night. He looked pretty good against the Beavers.

by tlt29 on Jun 12, 2006 1:00 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah, but
anybody can get up for Beaver...

by t ball on Jun 12, 2006 6:00 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

on the a's board...
they qouted someone who said 3 days ago that surgery wasnt even an option.

im confused.

by DSheppard on Jun 12, 2006 3:17 PM CDT   0 recs

The A's
They supposedly are pretty notorious for keeping health issues with their players extremely close to the vest.  Carroll has said it is harder to get info on the A's players than any other team.

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 12, 2006 3:26 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

lol
probably 'cause most of their injuries are steroids related...

The 'Roidin' A's!!

by Longhorn on Jun 12, 2006 3:28 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Wow
Huge blow, if his report is correct. Huge blow.

by zywica on Jun 12, 2006 9:14 PM CDT   0 recs

I hope he takes all the time he needs to recover
Y'know, make sure he gets rested up well enough, let the elbow recover.
I AM BENDER, PLEASE INSERT GIRDER.

by carterman on Jun 12, 2006 10:49 PM CDT   0 recs

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