Addison Russell's Barry Larkin-esque 2040 HOF Primer Thread

[SKO]

Fuck Rich Harden.

That is all.

I'm going to regret this, but what's the problem with Rich Harden?

I don't even know, really.  I just somehow associate him with the bitter failure that was the end of the 2008 season.  While that eternally fuckfaced face-fucker Dempster set the wheel in motion and then that gutless fucking infield shit the tub behind Zambrano in the next game, there was something about Harden giving up 2 runs right off the bat in Game 3 when we were still clinging to the hope of an epic comeback--seeing as how that season's Cub's team was the winningest team of my lifetime we had yet to throw in the towel--that just disgusted me.

That and the fact he always seemed to be at 100 pitches in the 5th inning.

Mostly it's just RAGE by association though.  I don't claim to have a good reason for not being enamored by Harden.  That 2008 team broke me.  Sorry if I've disappointed.

GODDAMMIT, PANK THIS....is actually acceptable. MOTION WITHDRAWN. I will admit even in 2009 I had trouble looking at guys like Ramirez and Lee without boiling over with anger, even as my brain tried to yell about 3 game sample sizes in the playoffs not outweighing years of quality play. There was much bitterness there. Amusingly enough I just flat out forgot Rich Harden for several years. He was a mercenary. It was the guys I cared about who disappointed me most.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Fuck Rich Harden.

That is all.

I'm going to regret this, but what's the problem with Rich Harden?

He cost Josh Donaldson.

With the way Hendry hemorrhaged prospects for shitty veterans, if Donaldson hadn't gone to Oakland for Harden he'd have been tossed for someone else. Or he'd have stayed at catcher and sucked because the A's are better at turning guys into good, patient hitters at the big league level than the Hendry Cubs were.

I'm mad Jimbo gave up Chris Archer for Garza because the Cubs were nowhere near being one pitcher away from contending in 2011 and Archer would have then been developed by Jepstink, but I really don't think you can blame him for throwing Donaldson (who wouldn't make a difference at the major league till 5 years after the trade anyway) onto a pile.

At some point Theo is going to trade Gleyber Torres or some shit for someone who will hopefully help the Cubs win a title and if said prospect ends up an MVP candidate seven years later I'm not going to be butthurt. Harden is hardly to blame for what happened to the 2008 Cubs in the playoffs, and it was a smart trade to get a dude who posted  1.77 ERA and a sub 1.00 WHIP in 12 starts as a Cub down the stretch (where the team went 9-3). It was a good win-now move.

And just...stop. It's got NOTHING to do with Donaldson.  That this guy's got 37 homeruns and the Cubs traded him 7 years ago is nothing short of a fluky development.  

[InternetApex]

Fuck Rich Harden.

That is all.

I'm going to regret this, but what's the problem with Rich Harden?

He cost Josh Donaldson.

With the way Hendry hemorrhaged prospects for shitty veterans, if Donaldson hadn't gone to Oakland for Harden he'd have been tossed for someone else. Or he'd have stayed at catcher and sucked because the A's are better at turning guys into good, patient hitters at the big league level than the Hendry Cubs were.

I'm mad Jimbo gave up Chris Archer for Garza because the Cubs were nowhere near being one pitcher away from contending in 2011 and Archer would have then been developed by Jepstink, but I really don't think you can blame him for throwing Donaldson (who wouldn't make a difference at the major league till 5 years after the trade anyway) onto a pile.

At some point Theo is going to trade Gleyber Torres or some shit for someone who will hopefully help the Cubs win a title and if said prospect ends up an MVP candidate seven years later I'm not going to be butthurt. Harden is hardly to blame for what happened to the 2008 Cubs in the playoffs, and it was a smart trade to get a dude who posted  1.77 ERA and a sub 1.00 WHIP in 12 starts as a Cub down the stretch (where the team went 9-3). It was a good win-now move.

Harden had to be babied with his pitch counts and his pitch counts were always high because he walked and K'd people at high rates. The annoying feeling of seeing him exit after five innings like 40-year old Maddux wouldn't have bothered me had it all worked out in October. But in hindsight, I have negative feelings overall about the 2008 Cubs. The October nut punch was just too painful to overcome. So there are guys like Lee, Ramirez, Soriano and Zambrano who contributed to other teams and made me feel good about them in general. But I lump Harden in with Dempster, DeRosa, Edmonds and Hendry as guys who I used to feel good about and now look back upon with disdain. Whether that's deserved or not in every case, I don't care.

EDIT: PANK affirmed and validated.

[SKO]

Yeah we all basically just said the same thing. The 2008 Cubs were one hell of a nutpunch and left bad feelings for us all. Some of us focused more of those feelings on Rich Harden than others, I guess.

More importantly, Addison Russell is here to mend our stupid broken hearts.

[flannj]

Fuckin' A.

[Quality Start Machine]

I've never seen a Cubs shortstop do the things he can do. The next 20 years will be fung.

[InternetApex]

I've never seen a Cubs shortstop do the things he can do. The next 20 years will be fung.

His arm isn't strong enough.

[Saul Goodman]

I've never seen a Cubs shortstop do the things he can do. The next 20 years will be fung.

His arm isn't strong enough.

Could've got more for Samardzija IMO

[Brownie]

I've never seen a Cubs shortstop do the things he can do. The next 20 years will be fung.

His arm isn't strong enough.

Could've got more for Samardzija IMO

Hey, look! Snork ONE-HIT the DETROIT TIGERS! Brock for Broglio redux!!!!!!!

[Quality Start Machine]

I've never seen a Cubs shortstop do the things he can do. The next 20 years will be fung.

His arm isn't strong enough.

Could've got more for Samardzija IMO

Hey, look! Snork ONE-HIT the DETROIT TIGERS! Brock for Broglio redux!!!!!!!

Damn, I wish the Sox would re-up him for 6 years.

[Bort]

I've never seen a Cubs shortstop do the things he can do. The next 20 years will be fung.

His arm isn't strong enough.

Could've got more for Samardzija IMO

Hey, look! Snork ONE-HIT the DETROIT TIGERS! Brock for Broglio redux!!!!!!!

Damn, I wish the Sox would re-up him for 6 years.

I suppose locking someone into a long term contract playing there is the closest legal approximation of locking someone in a burning barn.

[Saul Goodman]

ADDISON FUCKING RUSSELL, FEMALE DOGS

[SKO]

God damn

[Quality Start Machine]

I've never seen a Cubs shortstop do the things he can do. The next 20 years will be fung.

Castro has been replaced as Best Cubs SS since Banks.

[flannj]

He's going to be a MVP.