Rich Harden has no business in the WBC. At least our friends to the North don't actually seem to expect him to pitch, right?
Rich Harden was named to Canada's 45-man provisional roster on Monday, but might not be available when Canada opens the event March 7 against the United States because of health concerns.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported over the weekend that the Victoria native has a slight tear in his shoulder.
"We're trying to work things through with Rich Harden to see if we can create a comfort zone with him and the ball club," Greg Hamilton, Baseball Canada's director of national teams, told Toronto sports radio the FAN 590 on Monday.
His comfort zone for March is in the trainer's room in Mesa.
Updated "Tough decision". Sure.
Rich decides to do the right thing:
"I missed the last (2006) WBC too, because I was coming off surgery, and that just killed me to be in the stands watching . . . and this time it will be just as difficult to watch because I want to play and represent Canada," said the Victoria product, from his winter training base in Phoenix.
7 comments:
I don't know if it's necessarily the right thing to do for the reason I think you're implying it is, HP. The WBC is essentially going to act as spring training for the players on those rosters so I'm not at all against any player taking part assuming the managers of those teams are responsible and to enforce that they could come up with a rule or two to ensure it.
The man is injured and should not be working in game situations of any type.
Doesn't that go for spring training games as well though? When does he get ready for the season then? I guess what I'm saying is that spring training is likely to not be very different from the WBC at all so since he has to get ready for the 2009 season, does it really matter in what setting he does it?
i'm assuming he'll only work in game situations if and when he's ready to. I wouldn't want him working in game situations in the WBC if he's not ready and I wouldn't want him in spring training games either if he's not ready.
Sure, I would keep him laying low until he's fully ready. I think it does matter, but, the bottom line for me is this - the guy has only so many innings in his arm, from side sessions to Spring games and the full season. Why burn any of them early? Why put him some place where he may push himself unwisely?
I guess my opinion is that it's up to the athlete. I understand why they want to play for their countries and I also expect them, as adults, to know what they can and can't do. Harden made the wise decision with his injury. I agree with you on that. I just think spring training, WBC, whatever. A pitcher has to get his innings in somehow.
15 innings in the WBC or 15 innings in spring training, I don't really see any difference here. If the workload in one is going to be tougher than the other I'd agree with you, but I think it's the same. Or at least close enough that if he were healthy I'd have no problem with him pitching in the WBC.
[M]y No. 1 priority is the Cubs. I've just started to throw, and it [March] is too soon for me.
See.
I'm glad he made the decision he did. it sounds like it was left up to him and he made what I think we would all agree is the right one. I think most of them would most of the time and probably more frequently than the organization would...in my opinion anyway.
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