Harden makes it look easy

Not much posting here this weekend due to a younger brother's bachelor party. The party happened to be held at Wrigley Field, however, which was a very interesting place to be on Saturday. Rich Harden made his Cubs debut, striking out 10 in 5.1 innings, but he was denied the win when Carlos Marmol blew the lead with a five-run Giants ninth. The Cubs did prevail in 11, 8-7.

Most striking in this impressive debut performance was Harden's pregame. Pregame, you ask? Yes. Harden's first jog as a Cub, a 40-yard trot across left field before warm up tosses, was met by a standing ovation from the bleachers. His second cantor was met by half of the stadium (half of what had arrived in time to see Harden prepare to pitch a half hour before the game) rising for another ovation. Without a tip of his cap or even a slight acknowledgment of this overwhelming welcome, Harden went about his business with straightforward workman-like determination, looking totally unaffected.

What followed was a pitcher dominating his opposition, striking out 10 of the 24 batters he faced. It was such a smooth performance, I turned to my father at one point in the fifth amazed at having learned Harden had fanned nine batters already. Harden looked almost too comfortable out there. He looked in complete control. Only later did I read that he felt like this was his first start in the majors.

"That was a pretty cool feeling," Harden said. "I've never really had anything like that pitching in Oakland."

Pitching in Wrigley is not pitching in Oakland, and it looks like Rich Harden will fit in around the Friendly Confines just fine. He does, however, need to go a little deeper into games unless he wants to continue leaving things up to the bullpen.