Rich Harden

[Twins GFP]

Aaron Gleeman has an article this morning about Rich Harden making a comeback. I think the Twins would definitely be interested. What would it take to get him here?

 

I would offer a Major League contract with a base around $1M with reachable incentives pushing it to $4M. While not healthy for a while, Harden has had decent numbers.

 

Thoughts?

[DaveW]

Harden hasn't hard decent numbers in over 3 years. He didn't pitch at all last year and in 2010/2011 he failed to hit 100 IP and had a 5.36 ERA

 

Any team would be foolish to give him a major league deal, give him an invite to spring training and see what happens. Just dont count on him to produce.

[Twins GFP]

Somebody will. In 2010/2011, he averaged just under a strikeout per inning. This looks like a Joel Zumaya type situation. If Harden wants to show he still has it, there are very few opportunities better than here.

[Seth Stohs]

yeah, the news on Harden and Brandon Webb making comebacks again hit Twitter over the weekend. I'd be fine with a low base, high incentive type of deal... I'd also only sign him as a reliever.

[Brock Beauchamp]

As a third or fourth option, a guy like Webb/Harden might be a good safety net for Gibson. Start them in the rotation out of Spring Training and cross your fingers. If he works out, great. If he falls on his face and/or gets injured, bring up Kyle.

[ThePuck]

yeah, the news on Harden and Brandon Webb making comebacks again hit Twitter over the weekend. I'd be fine with a low base, high incentive type of deal... I'd also only sign him as a reliever.

 

Start them in the pen, see how they come alone...but yeah, low base high incentive for sure.

 

Let's face it, we're gonna throw more money for worthless pitchers anyway...

[TheLeviathan]

He is, afterall, the king of cheap aces.....

[diehardtwinsfan]

I'm not against either signing, though I'd prefer a minor league contract with an ST invite... I suppose the league minimum + incentives like what Zumaya got might not be bad either.

[puckett1992]

As a third or fourth option, a guy like Webb/Harden might be a good safety net for Gibson. Start them in the rotation out of Spring Training and cross your fingers. If he works out, great. If he falls on his face and/or gets injured, bring up Kyle.

 

Agreed to a point. At this point Harden has been injured so often that he cannot be counted on as anything other than a reliever, perhaps similar to Jared Burton last year for whom the Twins had to take previous injury history into account when using him on consecutive days. Though, Harden will likely want more than a minor league deal that Burton received. Perhaps something like Zumaya, but hopefully Harden doesn't blow his arm out in spring training.

 

I'm not so optimistic on Webb. He hasn't been able to catch on with any team for a few years despite his rehab work. It would be a nice, low cost addition, though.

[Brandon]

I second Puckett 1992 post.

 

Harden should only be brought in as a reliever. I am ok with a 500k base major league contract with incentives but thats it. i wouldn't want him starting at all.

[YourHouseIsMyHouse]

I had him in my original plan and I really think he has more to offer.