Right-hander Rich Harden signs a minor league contract with Minnesota Twins – MLB Update
Right handed starting pitcher Rich Harden has signed a Minor League contract with the Minnesota Twins. He spent the recent past Major League Baseball season with the Oakland Athletics but could not even play a single game due to shoulder injury.
Later at the end of the season, the Athletics declined arbitration on his contract which gave him the opportunity to sign with the Twins. With Minnesota Twins’ Minor League contract, Harden will also get a Major League invitational based on his performance
possibly in the second half of the 2013 Major League Baseball season.
“The [Twins] doctors were very impressed with him, He said his shoulder has been tightened and it's just a matter of how it responds when he gets to high gear," Twins assistant GM Rob Antony said and explained in the media regarding recent development.
“Ultimately, he sat out the entire 2012 season, so we’ll take it easy on him at the start and see how he responds and where he’s at,” Twins general manager Terry Ryan added.
Harden had a tough last season but now he is in recovery phase and experts predict that soon he will get back his thrust and will be showing his original offensive plays.
Harden is a talented player and possesses large Major League experience. His career ERA is of 3.76 along with 59-38 win-loss, 949 strikeouts, 1.30 WHIP also makes him a good offensive player. His arrival in the Twins certainly will provide them a potential
backup in the starting rotation.
Starting his career in 2003 from the Oakland Athletics platform, Harden went onto play for the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers. Now with the Twins, he is getting another opportunity to play more offensively in the future.
Signing Harden was already on Twins’ offseason agenda and as soon as they saw an opportunity to sign him, they quickly made a strong effort and brought him in the Minor League.
Some inside sources believe that the Twins might call Harden into the Majors in the second half of 2013 Major League Baseball season while until then; he will keep playing in the Twins Minor League affiliates.
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