Cubs wise to keep Harden

The Cubs exercised a $7 million option on Rich Harden today, acting before a deadline which would have allowed the pitcher to become a free agent. Even though the injury-prone righty is expected to have his right elbow checked out soon, the Cubs made the correct decision in ensuring his presence in their pitching rotation next year.

Harden managed to get through 148 innings over 25 starts this season, his highest totals in each category since 2004. This past season was actually the first time he remained healthy for most of the season since 2005, a victory in-and-of itself. Many baseball fans had wondered what types of numbers Harden could put up if he simply stayed healthy. Well, how do 181 strikeouts (for a 11.0 K/9 rate), a 2.07 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP sound?

After a midseason trade to the Cubs, Harden would have garnered Cy Young-talk for his spectacular numbers with the Cubbies (5-1, 89 Ks in 71 innings, 1.77 ERA, 0.97 WHIP) if not for CC Sabathia, another American League pitcher traded to a National League Central Division team.

When you look at Harden's production, you would suspect that a pitcher that effective at his age (he'll turn 27 later this year) could garner a truly daunting per year salary, something in the range of $15 million-plus. That's his upside. The downside is teams will always be risking whatever salary they pay for the reward of him staying healthy long enough to have a sizeable positive impact on his team.

For a big-market club such as the Cubs, who have had annual World Series ambitions for a few years now, $7 million is a small price to pay for a pitcher who can be a true difference-maker when he stays healthy. And considering the Cubs should bring back most of the squad that was supposed to win the Series this year, making sure Harden sticks around for another year at a very reasonable salary (by ace pitcher standards) is well worth the gamble, injury risk be damned.