Harden, Johnson let go???

[Ace]

<!--quoteo(post=70439:date=Dec 1 2009, 10:16 PM:name=BT)-->QUOTE (BT @ Dec 1 2009, 10:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->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--><div class='quotetop'>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-->
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Unless that information developed between the trading deadline and today (and it almost certainly didn't), it's a bs excuse. Hendry took the gamble that keeping Harden would vault the Cubs over five teams in the WC race in one month, and lost.