12-01-2009, 11:16 PM
I'm not at all happy with the decision, but Bruce Miles at least brings up a possibility as to why they didn't offer:
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->We've been back and forth on the Harden situation all off-season. As I've said, the numbers say you offer Harden arbitration, but we're not operating in a vacuum. The Cubs have raved about how pitching coach Larry Rothschild and trainer Mark O'Neal got Harden ready to start 26 times. In other words, Harden's troublesome right shoulder was a project. None of us has seen the MRIs, X-rays and doctors reports, but if there weren't issues that troubled the Cubs, offering arbitration would be a no-brainer. But it appears the Cubs feel there is enough concern about Harden's shoulder that they don't want to risk paying him $8 million to $10 million and risk having the darn thing blow out on them.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->We've been back and forth on the Harden situation all off-season. As I've said, the numbers say you offer Harden arbitration, but we're not operating in a vacuum. The Cubs have raved about how pitching coach Larry Rothschild and trainer Mark O'Neal got Harden ready to start 26 times. In other words, Harden's troublesome right shoulder was a project. None of us has seen the MRIs, X-rays and doctors reports, but if there weren't issues that troubled the Cubs, offering arbitration would be a no-brainer. But it appears the Cubs feel there is enough concern about Harden's shoulder that they don't want to risk paying him $8 million to $10 million and risk having the darn thing blow out on them.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I wish that I believed in Fate. I wish I didn't sleep so late. I used to be carried in the arms of cheerleaders.