Sabathia vs. Harden
While researching Rich Harden’s numbers with the Cubs so far, I came to the startling conclusion that I had no idea what he had done since the trade. I mean, I knew he was doing well, that he had not gotten hurt, and that he was helping the Cubs continue their dominance, but I couldn’t quote any of his numbers off the top of my head.
What bothered me a bit was that I knew all about CC Sabathia and his numbers in the senior circuit… and honestly, while Sabathia has performed better in his new league, it’s not like Harden is chopped liver, but he has gotten very little publicity.
One of the major reasons for this, as far as this writer can tell, is the W-L record. Sabathia has gone 8-0 in his ten Milwaukee starts and is averaging just a shade under 8 IP/GM while Harden is just 4-1, thanks to some solid performances without decisions. Remember, I am fully supporting Sabathia as performing better since the trade, but just find it odd that Harden, with his great numbers, is barely being mentioned. Here is a comparison:
CC Sabathia: 10 GS, 1.59 ERA, 2.51 FIP, 7.9 IP/GS, 4.93 K/BB Rich Harden: 8 GS, 1.47 ERA, 2.74 FIP, 6.1 IP/GS, 5.00 K/BB CC Sabathia: 85.6% LOB, 0.46 HR/9, 2.23 WPA/LI Rich Harden: 98.3% LOB, 1.10 HR/9, 1.43 WPA/LI
Harden isn’t likely to sustain a strand rate that ridiculous, and I’m sure many Cubs fans hold their breath after each pitch, hoping he remains healthy, but he has been everything Piniella’s bunch has asked him to be and more. In a playoff series, who do you like better, Sabathia and Sheets or Zambrano and Harden?
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Can I take Dempster and Harden instead?
Sabathia and Sheets and it’s not close, but I guess that might just be my love of fatties (they remind me of me). Wait, the Cubs have a fattie in their pair too… Can I pick Sabathia/Zambrano on my sheer love of poundage?
CC and Sheets over any 2 Cubs.
Since when is Sheets a fatty?
Sabathia’s CG’s helped him get more ink. Milwaukee’s riding Sabathia hard, trying to make the playoffs, while the Cubs are babying Harding, saving him for the October crapshoot.
Anyone that’s seen CC’s postseason stats should be going the Z/Harden (or Dempster/Harden or Z/Dempster…) route. That is, if you want the win. If you just want a fatass, then yes, CC would be the pick for you.
Yes, 21 bad innings of postseason play is very damning. Forget the other ~1600 innings he’s pitched in his career. And it’s not like any of the Cubs starters have any significant postseason experience so… that was a dumb comment, and yes, I’ll take one fatass, please.
Really? You’re really judging his value to a playoff team by 21.1 innings of postseason play? The man has thrown 1638 innings in his major league career and you’re singling out the 1.3% of those that happened to fall in October? CC allowed 27 earned runs in his first 21.1 innings this season yet 3 earned runs in his most recent 21.1 innings. Same pitcher, same time frame, drastically different results. The moral of the story is don’t judge anybody by 21.1 innings of work.