For the first time in my fantasy baseball career, I participated in a AL-only style league format. This was quite a new experience for me coming from the entire league format where anyone and everyone is fair game. Now, in this new style, pitchers like Josh Beckett, Josh Beckett, Joba Chamberlain and CC Sabathia go from elite to God-like because of the lack of their NL counterparts. Now, a catcher like Miguel Olivo, is a sought after “talent”, and a guy like Dionner Navaro is a must start. In most mixed leagues, he’s barely a 50-50 start.
One of my prized possesions on my salary style AL-Only league was Rich Harden. I said was because he is now no longer on my team, thanks to the Oakland A’s and the Chicago Cubs completing a trade on Wednesday. Now, just like that my $5 Rich Harden is now as valuable a roster slot as Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, or heck, even Sandy Koufax. The worst thing was, there was nothing I could do about it. There was no warning, no “Rich Harden, being considered for a trade to the Cubs” it was totally closed door. Not even Buster Olney could give me the heads up!
Now I sit here, pondering, to drop or not to drop. I have him under contract for another season and maybe there’s a chance he switches over again, right? Alright, probably not, but now my pitching staff consists of studs like Daniel Cabrera, Miguel Batista, Kyle Davies, and the uber stud, Jeremy Sowers. Sure I have Dustin McGowan and Ervin Santana, but Harden was what was keeping me in it for my most important pitching categories, Wins, ERA and WHIP.
Rest In Peace, Rich Harden, former starting AL pitcher. You were good to me, but you were taken from me too early, and for that I sing to you, “Dust In the Wind”…….
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