Rich Harden Injury Watch, Part Deux

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Rich Harden made his 7th straight start yesterday since coming off the DL, and it was another gem - my second favorite Canadian (Neil Young will always be #1) pitched 6 innings of one-hit ball, striking out nine and not giving up a run. This was his sixth straight quality start.

That's all fine and well, but what disturbed me about yesterday's game was this:


Rich Harden has shaved off his facial hair! And for the 4 of you who have been reading this blog, you know that Harden has managed to remain injury-free after coming off the DL sporting a goatee.

Now before you tell me "E-Claire, I highly doubt that a few face whiskers are keeping Rich Harden off the DL," chew on this: Harden admitted that he wasn't feeling "100 percent" after his last start against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Orange County down the street from a Del Taco. And Bob Geren said that Harden's pitch count was being monitored yesterday.

Dana Eveland, Alan Embree, Joe Blanton, Chad Gaudin...You guys need to sit down with Harden and explain the importance of facial hair...It'll be a "goatee intervention" of sorts. And if he resists, simply show him this:


No facial hair = injury prone


Facial Hair = Hall of Fame