Links - Canadian pitcher Harden reaches deal with Rangers - North River Minor Hockey Association

Canadian pitcher Harden reaches deal with Rangers LOGINREGISTERHELPYOU ARE NOT LOGGED IN NHLNBAMLBCFLNFLCurlingTennisGolfSoccerNASCARFormula OneIndyCar NASCAR Canadian Tire SeriesNationwideCamping WorldAuto RacingWorld JuniorsSpengler CupMenS WHCWomenS WHCHockey CanadaAHLBoxingCanada GamesCHLCISECHLFigure SkatingLacrosseMMANCAASkiingSummer SportsWinter SportsMoreOlympicsFantasyDaily LineShowsTSN TalentCommunityMainScoresScheduleStandingsStatisticsArizonaAtlantaChicago CubsCincinnatiColoradoFloridaHoustonLA DodgersMilwaukeeNY MetsPhiladelphiaPittsburghSan DiegoSan FranciscoSt LouisWashingtonBaltimoreBostonChicago WSoxClevelandDetroitKansas CityLA AngelsMinnesotaNY YankeesOaklandSeattleTampa BayTexasToronto TeamsPlayersInjuriesTransactionsDaily LineMLB on TSNeotText SizeINDIANAPOLIS Rich Harden and the Texas Rangers completed a oneyear contract Thursday that guarantees the Canadian pitcher US$75 millionThe deal calls for a $65 million salary next year and includes an $115 million mutual option for 2011 with a $1 million buyout Harden can earn an additional $25 million next year in performance bonusesThe oftinjured righthander from Victoria had to pass a physical before the agreement was finalizedWhen hes out there this is a guy with No 1 ability Hes a stopper in the true sense of the word Thats something we felt we needed general manager Jon Daniels said on a conference callTexas reached a preliminary agreement with Harden on Wednesday the same day it traded starting pitcher Kevin Millwood to Baltimore along with $3 million for reliever Chris Ray and a player to be namedMillwood is owed $12 million next year so the deal freed up money for the Rangers to land Harden The team had cash flow problems this year with Major League Baseball stepping in to provide assistance and owner Tom Hicks is trying to sell the teamDaniels however said the topic of ownership came up very little during Texas discussions at the winter meetings this weekIt really was more about payroll and what we wanted to accomplish with the club under those parameters regardless of the status of ownership Daniels said It was more about we could creatively figure out how to improve the club We felt from this regard we had to move some pieces around to acquire somebody like Rich and were happy we didHarden struck out 171 batters in 141 innings last season going 99 with a 409 ERA for the Chicago Cubs who acquired him from Oakland in July 2008 along with righthander Chad Gaudin for righthander Sean Gallagher outfielders Matt Murton and Eric Patterson and catcher Josh DonaldsonHarden who turned 28 last month is 5029 with a 339 ERA in seven big league seasons He has been slowed by seven trips to the disabled list for a strained left oblique (2005) strained back (2006 and 2009) sprained elbow ligament (2006) and strained shoulder (twice in 2007 and once in 2008)Daniels decli...