Harden: "has to be done..." Alfonso Soriano, was hit in the back of the helmet by an errant pitch...

Harden: "has to be done..." Alfonso Soriano, was hit in the back of the helmet by an errant pitch from Todd Wellemeyer, Harden responded by throwing close, but not at the head, of the other team's star. Harden tossed two near the legs of Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols on one at-bat and hit him, but in the lower back, on the next one.

Cubs manager Lou Piniella, asked if he thought Harden had handled the situation properly, said, "Well, I just think he was going to try to come inside and the ball got away from him. Twice." Harden said after Soriano had been hit in the head, something "has to be done. You want to go in on him anyway, just challenge (Pujols). We were just going in there and if something happens, it happens."

StL Post Dispatch The game within the game. Somehow, someway the Cardinals always seem to hit a Cub first with LaRussa at the helm and the Cubs have to come inside to their big guy. I vote for coming inside the remainder of the season with Albert

almost 3 years ago Ivy Walls 22 comments 0 recs |

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It was obviously an accident by Wellemeyer

But I can see where the Cubs are coming from.

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by Brett Taylor on Apr 27, 2009 7:28 AM CDT reply actions

That's the thing....

….. it’s like crying wolf too often. LaRussa has been in the park too many times for all these “coincidences” that when it happens truly by accident (and since Wellemeyer was in the Cub system for so long we know it’s possible) you don’t know what to think.

"When they signed Fukudome, I knew they were trying to get me fired". - Ron Santo, January, 2008

by BeerCub on Apr 27, 2009 7:45 AM CDT reply actions

+1

Couldn’t agree more.

One day I hope to come up with something worthy of this space.

by chilango2 on Apr 27, 2009 10:33 AM CDT up reply actions

Shoulda thrown at LaRussa.

by beckmania on Apr 27, 2009 9:18 AM CDT reply actions

Makes me love Harden even more.

Which I didn’t think was possible.

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by Unique on Apr 27, 2009 10:03 AM CDT reply actions

+1000 Ha ha!!!

"I'm not much of a chemistry guy, you know. Chemistry to me is a pinch-hit double with the bases loaded"--Jim Frey, Chicago Tribune, 1985.

by zevkalman on Apr 27, 2009 2:03 PM CDT up reply actions

that's interesting.

I thought it was one of those “you don’t talk about throwing at players” kind of thing. Yes, we all know it happens, but you don’t talk about it. Will Harden get disciplined by Bud?

"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella

by drewishdrewid on Apr 27, 2009 10:04 AM CDT reply actions

I hope not.

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Born: August 18, 2008

by Unique on Apr 27, 2009 10:20 AM CDT up reply actions

In the head is different

Just the way the game is to me. If it is above the shoulders regardless of intent someone on the other team gets one in the backside. We’ve all seen it before. Usually the opposing teams guy takes it and goes to first with his head down. Pujols was a bit of a dick about it. Nobody on a LaRussa managed team should get too self-righteous about getting hit with a pitch.

by Nibbles on Apr 27, 2009 10:10 AM CDT reply actions

in my mind if someone is hit in the head or thought to be throwing at it.....ejection automatic

this should be the rule.

Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."

by Ivy Walls on Apr 27, 2009 1:44 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm not going to assume the worst about Wellenmeyer and LaRussa

Going after a head. I’m going to assume it was an accident.

But LaRussa himself has said that even if you think a near headshot was an accident, you have to “throw inside” (below the shoulders) to remind the opposing pitcher to be more damn careful.

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by Worf on Apr 27, 2009 10:12 AM CDT reply actions

I'd agree

Also, if the Cubs’ pitchers show no spine of their own, it opens up the door for the opposing team to pound the Cubs on the inner part of the plate and to brush hitters back.

By hitting Pujols, the Cubs are demonstrating that they will retaliate if needed when one of their players goes down, which means that opposing pitchers can’t throw inside at will against the Cubs.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Bill Potter on Apr 27, 2009 10:37 AM CDT up reply actions

The article is inaccurate.

Harden didn’t hit Pujols in the lower back – he hit him square in the ass.

My only other comment is I wish Soriano wouldn’t have talked so openly about it.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on Apr 27, 2009 10:23 AM CDT reply actions

The best part about it

Harden had such good control at that point that it was so obviously and hilariously premeditated… against the prior batter, he’s throwing fastballs on the black part of the plate and breaking stuff for strikes — then he hits Pujols directly in the butt on the first pitch — then its right back to painting the corners on Ludwick.

Seeing that sort of “defending your teammates” stuff from Harden gives me some hope that he may want to stick around next year.

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by D98 on Apr 28, 2009 10:04 AM CDT up reply actions

Yeah, if he can stay healthy (obviously), he's quite the competitor.

Loved the way he stood there staring back at Pujols. It was a true “David and Goliath” moment.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on Apr 28, 2009 10:19 AM CDT up reply actions

Can't believe I'm saying this, but...

Props to LaRussa for this response…

“I’m not OK with anybody getting hit,” he said. “The only thing I’ve ever said, whether we hit somebody or they hit somebody, this is the big leagues … you should never get hit in the head. The pitch doesn’t get away. If anybody’s got to improve his game, it’s us. We’re the guys who got the ball above the shoulders. I didn’t see them doing anything wrong.”

by kanderber on Apr 27, 2009 11:22 AM CDT reply actions

That is encouraging.

Let’s hope Harden’s deft plunking of Pujols put the matter to rest, and the teams can get back to playing good, competitive baseball.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on Apr 27, 2009 11:41 AM CDT up reply actions