The Oakland A's signed Rich Harden over the offseason hoping that a return to his old stomping grounds would help lift up his performance. Harden had a rough 2010 with Texas, and Oakland saw him as a prime rebound candidate. The problem? The same problem as always - Harden's having trouble getting healthy.
Rich Harden Shut Down With Lat Injury
Almost immediately after reporting to camp, Harden was shut down with stiffness in his lat area. It was said to be a minor injury and Harden showed improvement, but after a little bit of throwing, Harden’s apparently had a setback, and the A’s are shutting him down again and sending him for an examination.
A lat injury isn't the most worrisome injury possible, but an injury is an injury, and at this point one wonders if Rich Harden can handle this line of work anymore. He came to camp looking to compete with Brandon McCarthy for the fifth spot in the Oakland rotation, but he's no longer in the mix and will presumably have to fight for a spot in the bullpen whenever he's able to get back on a mound. He could be effective as a reliever, but with Harden, you never want to place a bet.
We’ll keep following and hoping for the best. For more on Harden and the A’s, check out Athletics Nation.
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