Good News From Fitch Park
by Al Yellon on Mar 25, 2009 6:47 PM CDT
in Chicago Cubs News
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PrintMESA, Arizona -- Stop worrying, everyone.
Rich Harden threw 63 pitches (42 strikes) in throwing four effortless scoreless innings against a team of A's minor leaguers at Fitch Park this afternoon, in front of a crowd of around 100 family members, curious onlookers, beat reporters and other Cubs minor leaguers who stuck around from their earlier workouts and games to see a member of the Cubs' major league rotation.
Harden looked like he was just playing catch in throwing many pitches in the low 90's. All the outs were either strikeouts or fly balls -- typical Harden, who is a fly ball pitcher. He struck out four (two of them being ex-Cub Eric Patterson), including one on a nice breaking pitch for a called third strike, and allowed only three singles. He looks to be on target for resuming major league action; I would expect that he'd be slated to start Monday against the Royals at Surprise, which would also probably put him in the mix for starting one of the games at Yankee Stadium.
The video above gives you a good idea of how easily he was throwing, effortlessly and with absolutely no sign of shoulder trouble. The illness he had earlier this month was likely some sort of food poisoning, which can sap your strength, so the Cubs were smart to keep him out for a while. He appears ready to resume his place in the rotation. Here's a sequence of still photos showing his motion:
Various Cub minor leaguers who were just cut (and others) played in this game, including Jason Dubois, Doug Deeds, Richie Robnett, and Luis Rivas, who was performing this drill with a bat standing on end while in the on-deck circle:
Click on photos to open larger versions in new browser windows. All photos and video by Al
I didn't stay for the rest of the game after Harden was taken out; others who were on that team included Welington Castillo and Rocky Roquet (it was a bit jarring to see him walking by me, wearing the blue "alt" jersey with his name and #34 on the back). Today's catcher was Koyie Hill (who you can see in the photo of Rivas, at bat; Hill batted in every inning to get some extra work in), the Cubs wanting to have one of the guys who might wind up catching Harden during the season, catch him today. Tomorrow night at Scottsdale, Sean Marshall will face the Giants' Barry Zito. According to Bruce Miles, Kosuke Fukudome will take batting practice tomorrow and return to the lineup on Friday, hitting second.
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Worst game recap ever...
you didn’t even tell us the final score or who won.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Mar 25, 2009 6:53 PM CDT reply actions
Do you really care?
It was 0-0 when I left.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
WHAT!?
This is the website that hosted a fake game with a team that is dead, and had hundreds and hundreds of posts. OF COURSE we care about the #473 meaningless spring training game!
Evey Hammond: Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici. V: By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.
Maybe you guys need another fake game on an off day, then.
:-)
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
wait.
there was a fake game that you guys posted on? oh man, have i found the worst possible website to read and comment on.
There's nothing wrong with this team that more pitching, more fielding and more hitting couldn't help......"--Bill Buckner
by laidbackliam on Mar 25, 2009 9:50 PM CDT up reply actions
I giggle like a school girl every time I read this thread. Nearly 900 posts for a fake game.
http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2008/8/7/588783/offday-game-thread-cubs-vs
Evey Hammond: Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici. V: By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.
Okay, I'm gonna end up re-reading this entire thing...again.
I love this quote:
you have this entire game, bat by bat, planned already don’t you?
by digitalbenjamin on Aug 7, 2008 2:35 PM CDT
I’m only relaying what the wireless is saying.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 7, 2008 2:36 PM CDT
Evey Hammond: Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici. V: By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.
this is hilarious
making my night
There's nothing wrong with this team that more pitching, more fielding and more hitting couldn't help......"--Bill Buckner
by laidbackliam on Mar 25, 2009 10:49 PM CDT up reply actions
But Al...
we’re Cubs fans.
Worrying is all we know how to do.
Unless there’s a six-pack near by. Then we know how to do two things.
Baseball players are smarter than football players. How often do you see a baseball team penalized for too many men on the field? - Jim Bouton
and after about four of those...
…you better know how to do a third thing.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
I thought this headline from mlb.com was funny
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Mar 25, 2009 6:56 PM CDT reply actions
Or Leno? I can't remember who does what anymore. I only watch Connan.
"Pounding sand since 1982...."
Leno does headlines
They’re almost always funny.
Letterman’s a doofus.
by northernsails on Mar 26, 2009 3:52 AM CDT up reply actions
Wow that headline really is awful.
The shortest distance between two points is under construction.
by halfblindcubbiegirl on Mar 25, 2009 9:20 PM CDT up reply actions
I am surprised it got approved by the editors
Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.
Something tells me the editor was behind it. (No pun intended.)
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
It would've been funnier if it was:
White Sox checking out Contreras, Colon
And even funnier if they’d mistakenly left out the comma:
White Sox checking out Contreras Colon
And even funnier still if they’d mistakenly left out the comman and inserted (ooh, ouch) a possessive apostrophe:
White Sox checking out Contreras’ Colon
See, folks, this is how I’ve ended up with almost 20,000 comments.
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
as long as it is not
Ozzie “I am riding Contreras Colon to the promise land”
Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.
Ted Lilly
Threw a simulated game today.
"Check the magic of a winning season and there are always reasons beyond the talent." Ned Colleti
by wrigleyrocker12 on Mar 25, 2009 7:13 PM CDT reply actions
Actually...
… Lilly’s simulated game was yesterday. Lilly is on target to start Sunday vs. Cleveland.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
i figured they’d put #34 on hold for awhile
i don’t think they will retire it, but i thought they wouldn’t use the number for some time.
There's nothing wrong with this team that more pitching, more fielding and more hitting couldn't help......"--Bill Buckner
Well, of course...
… that’s not a major league #34, but still, it looked weird.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
still
there are a lot of numbers other than that.
agree with you on the weird part.
(must remember, i before, except after c, and in the word weird.)
There's nothing wrong with this team that more pitching, more fielding and more hitting couldn't help......"--Bill Buckner
by laidbackliam on Mar 25, 2009 9:55 PM CDT up reply actions
worry, heck most Cubbie Blues are worse than grandmothers
Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."
I'll feel even better once Harden goes out again in 5 days
And shows the same good stuff against major league hitters
www.talkingchicagobaseball.blogspot.com
I'm curious to see how Harden feels tomorrow
after throwing today.
The shortest distance between two points is under construction.
by halfblindcubbiegirl on Mar 25, 2009 9:21 PM CDT up reply actions
I'll bet his arm will be fine.
But he’s still trying to get his stomach to feel better after the food poisoning.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
glad harden looked good today, lets hope he can keep it up
Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.
my bet is
that at least 3k of your 20k ish posts are twss.
way to keep it strong buddy.
There's nothing wrong with this team that more pitching, more fielding and more hitting couldn't help......"--Bill Buckner
by laidbackliam on Mar 26, 2009 12:28 PM CDT up reply actions
TWSS's are the carbohydrates of any good BCBers diet.
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
I haz blurg: hotbeans.wordpress.com
by digitalbenjamin on Mar 27, 2009 10:28 AM CDT up reply actions
i'll be satisfied....
if he gets a start in the nlcs
9000 Interweb Points...
for dropping a YouTube video in your post. More please…
I haz blurg: hotbeans.wordpress.com
by digitalbenjamin on Mar 26, 2009 10:36 AM CDT reply actions
I'm going to try to do that whenever I can.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
Yeah, that's very cool.
"That little kid at second base - he is after a job, isn't he?" ~ Lou Piniella, 3/9/09
we are paying Harden, what about $7 mil
if we get 17-20 starts we got our monies worth IMO
Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.
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