NOT TOO MUCH PRESSURE

Everyone and their brother seems to have an opinion on what Richy Pitch Harden (or Pitchy Rich, if you prefer) brings to the table. Well, we'll put it this way; if Ted Lilly would have pitched at a half run better than the league average, they would have been talking about Four Large (the Big Three was stupid- the Big Four is a stupider name) in May. But he hasn't. It has taken a peach fuzzed face 21 year old kid with a fastball clocked from anywhere from 85-98 mph to make Ted Lilly appear, well, like chump change.

Sean McAdam has a two penny opinion on Harden via ESPN.com.Baseball Prospectus takes the six penny approach with Mark Armour, Joe Sheehan and Keith Woolner all chipping in.

Bobby Crosby is beginning to take over the PCL. John Sickles, from Down on the Farm clears some of the doubt about Crosby.

Sometime around 2:30pm PST, yesterday.

That's when we started breathing, again. Tim Hudson will attempt to make his next start but it may end up being a game time decision. The ball that smacked off Hudson's pitching hand was the dot below the question mark. The A's have been rumored to be thinking about holding Pitchy Rich back a start or two. Not so much because Harden has performed unevenly in his last two starts, but, because Pitchy Rich is staring a heavy work load in the face.

This is part of the reason we questioned bringing Harden up so early. Yes, he was lights out for four starts. But, he's only been pitching for three shortened seasons and he has a few mechanical things (superficial, things at that) to work on. Harden was tipping his pitches and Rick Peterson has done some work with Harden on his pre-load and windup.

If Hudson can't go, the A's might have to make another roster move since they seem unwilling to use their bullpen as an asset.