Rich Harden - K Machine???

[rayfan4life]

I just saw his line, and I THOUGHT it said 3.2 IP, 8 K's. Is this possibly correct? I thought the guy was done reading reports about decreased velocity in ST. Anyone see him deal tonight? How'd he look?

[hickdubious]

What's up with the 3.2IP?

[jcook3127]

Well I think he had 5 walks too so....8 K/5BB....couldn't have been too efficient with his pitch count

[Shwag]

90 pitches in less than 4 innings is just horrid... If this guy ever got his act together, he could dominate like he did after the trade to the Cubs... But i dont think it will ever come... Throws too many pitches. Cant work deep into games.... But he is a K machine

[MTUCache]

Honestly, Young committing that error probably saved Harden from himself. He was throwing a lot of pitches, had no ground ball outs, had 23 pitches fouled off, and allowed WAY too many baserunners. It was going to bite him hard at some point during the game, so the fact that two of those runs were unearned saved his line.

Escaping without the loss and 1 ER was a huge bonus.

Definitely a high wire act... I'm not sorry that I started him though.

[cymbaline]

Anyone see him deal tonight? How'd he look?

I watched most of the game when Harden was throwing. Serious control issues although this has always been his MO. Many of the K's he racked up were on pitches out of the zone and several were in the dirt. A opposing team with more plate discipline would have likely accrued more than 5 BB against him. The HR he allowed wasn't all that well struck -- and probably would have been a double or an out in a less hitter friendly park. The boot by Young was a sharp ground ball and could have easily been a double play instead of an error.

It could have been a lot worse.

Harden's made of glass, erratic when he doesn't throw strikes, and dominant when he's got his A game. Throw in the hitter friendly home park and he's a high risk, high reward gambit.