Article: Twins Ink Rich Harden to Minor League Deal

[whatever54]

MLB rumors says Harden is signed, so we'll see what he can contribute.

[TopGunn#22]

Great signing. We should all say the rosary every day in hopes of keeping him healthy.

[Top Gun]

Twins signed RHP Rich Harden to a minor league contract.

 

He's been given an invitation to spring training. Harden missed the entire 2012 season following surgery to repair a torn capsule in his right shoulder, but he's reportedly healthy now and trying for a comeback. The 31-year-old hasn't had any success since 2009 and has, of course, had major problems with staying healthy, but it doesn't hurt to see what he might have left.

[Top Gun]

Scott Diamond recently underwent surgery to remove a bone chip from his left elbow.

[Parker Hageman]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=1266-Twins-Ink-Rich-Harden-to-Minor-League-Deal

[Kwak]

Apparently Ryan is looking under every rock to see if there is an effective major league pitcher underneath.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Apparently Ryan is looking under every rock to see if there is a pitcher underneath.

 

Fixed.

[minn55441]

I like this signing a lot. I would like him to get 4 more of these guys. Talent, motivated to prove themselves, no long term financial committment. what's not to like? If he gets three or four of these type of comeback attempts, perhaps one will pay dividends, but you never win the lottery without buying a ticket.

[Mike Sixel]

What's not to like is that this is the strategy, instead of signing one legit pitcher. Hope is a bad strategy.

[PopRiveter]

I love this one! sure hope he lasts more than 20 pitches. On a minor league contract, any production is all bonus and this guy, if healthy enough to pitch, is better than most any other option in the system. That's a HUGE "if," but it's low risk/high reward.

Go Harden!

[nicksaviking]

What's not to like is that this is the strategy, instead of signing one legit pitcher. Hope is a bad strategy.

 

While I normally agree, this only registers because he was once a big name. It's a minor league signing, no different than the signing and invitations made to Deduno, Walters and Vasquez. He's not even taking a 40-man roster spot, which means this should probably register lower on the off season radar than the Josh Roenicke and Tim Wood signings.

[Mike Sixel]

In a vacuum, it is not a bad signing. As a collection, buying only bad players or injured players, and hoping they somehow become something they are not, is a bad strategy.

 

I could care not care less about this signing, it is the overall strategy that this indicates and fits within that I care about.

[Shane Wahl]

Obviously this is good and I wish they would have targeted Harden and others like him to minor league deals and not messed around with Correia and Pelfrey.

[chagen]

Kind of reminds me of the Joel Zumaya experiment i guy that got good stuff but just can't stay healthy hopefully this one works out!

[johnnydakota]

What's not to like is that this is the strategy, instead of signing one legit pitcher. Hope is a bad strategy.

 

I would rather have 5 of these kind of guys then 1 Correia

[Top Gun]

The Twins need to do more than sign minor league contracts. That just proves how dirt cheap Ryan is. He is a dirt bag!

[Boom Boom]

He should probably just start the Twins' famous "Rest N Rehab" program immediately.

[AllhopeisgoneMNTWINS]

I like this signing. Now its time to sign Brandon Webb and see what he has left in the tank. In all honesty we know 2013 is a lost cause, but while we give these reclamation projects a shot the guys in the minors will be developing for the future and if one of them actually gets back to his almost former self...then its a win win!

[andrewberg]

The love for guys with a .0001% chance of a big payoff here shows me why casinos have so many more slot machines than poker tables.

[johnnydakota]

I like this signing. Now its time to sign Brandon Webb and see what he has left in the tank. In all honesty we know 2013 is a lost cause, but while we give these reclamation projects a shot the guys in the minors will be developing for the future and if one of them actually gets back to his almost former self...then its a win win!

 

Do not forget Scott Kazmir

[Willihammer]

It is a fine signing and I like the tactic but hopefully Harden's not the last. Certainly you improve your odds by pursuing these sorts with a little more gusto than Jr has to this point. You only need one guy to pan out to make them all worthwhile.

[stringer bell]

IIRC, the Twins claimed Harden when he was a Cub, but the Cubs pulled him off waivers.

[AllhopeisgoneMNTWINS]

Do not forget Scott Kazmir

 

I think your being sarcastic. But what would be wrong with seeing what Kazmir has left?

[nicksaviking]

The love for guys with a .0001% chance of a big payoff here shows me why casinos have so many more slot machines than poker tables.

 

I think you need to hire a better odds maker. His 82 inning 2011 still produced a better WAR than all but two Twins starters last year. It's still better odds than trying to come out ahead playing the ATM machine which is what the Correia signing was.

 

Besides, why is anyone giving this deal any more pessimism than the minor league deals given to Vasquez, Walters and Deduno?

[Riverbrian]

Why Not? Bring in Arms... even if it's an Arm that falls off every once in awhile. It may not be the Mid Level guy that most of us want but there is no guarentee that the Mid-level guy doesn't go down with injury during the season either and our SP needs go way beyond one guy.

 

TR is fixing one thing from last year. We have people to turn to if the wheels fall off of someone during the season... Either through injury or pitching terribly. Hopefully we can avoid the 6 plus ERA guy for long stretches in 2013 because we don't have anyone else to replace him.

 

We can't go through 2012 again. Hopefully this works a little.

[AllhopeisgoneMNTWINS]

Why Not? Bring in Arms... even if it's an Arm that falls off every once in awhile. It may not be the Mid Level guy that most of us want but there is no guarentee that the Mid-level guy doesn't go down with injury during the season either and our SP needs go way beyond one guy.

 

TR is fixing one thing from last year. We have people to turn to if the wheels fall off of someone during the season... Either through injury or pitching terribly. Hopefully we can avoid the 6 plus ERA guy for long stretches in 2013 because we don't have anyone else to replace him.

 

We can't go through 2012 again. Hopefully this works a little.

 

This is a call to arms, gather pitchers...time to go play ball. 30 Seconds to Mars reference if anyone was wondering.

[70charger]

I love the low-risk, high-reward thing. On a minor league contract, this guy is basically cost-free.

[Riverbrian]

This is a call to arms, gather pitchers...time to go play ball. 30 Seconds to Mars reference if anyone was wondering.

 

This is a battle song Brothers and Sisters!!! Did you ever believe? Were you ever a dreamer?

[Guest USAFChief]

Not too many years ago, I would have thought this was a good idea.

[AllhopeisgoneMNTWINS]

This is a battle song Brothers and Sisters!!! Did you ever believe? Were you ever a dreamer?

 

It's the moment of truth, and the moment to lie,

The moment to live and the moment to die,

The moment to fight, the moment to fight

To fight, to fight, to fight!