Pitcher's ex-roomie has big-league dad

By David Dorsey
Fort Myers News Press

Adam Harben has a pretty good connection with the Fort Myers Miracle's big-league parent club, the Minnesota Twins.

Harben roomed with Toby Gardenhire, the son of Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, during the 2001-02 school year at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith.

At 7:05 tonight at the Lee County Sports Complex, the 6-foot-5, right-handed Harben will start for the Miracle against the Clearwater Threshers in a Class A, Florida State League game.

The Miracle then will embark on a nine-game road trip.

"I don't know if that has anything to do with me getting drafted by the Twins," Harben said of his friendship with Toby. The two still keep in touch periodically. Toby now plays on the University of Illinois baseball team.

"The Twins called me the night before the draft," Harben said. "I didn't think they were going to draft me, just because I hadn't talked to them as much as some other teams."

The Twins selected Harben in the 15th round of the 2002 June draft.

The Detroit Tigers initially drafted Harben in the 38th round of the 2001 June draft, shortly after his graduation from Central Arkansas Christian High. Instead of signing with the Tigers, Harben opted to attend a year of junior college.

Over the past three years, Harben has started 54 minor league games, compiling an 18-14 record with a 3.52 ERA and 275 strikeouts — 171 of which he threw last season for Quad Cities, a low-Class A team.

Harben went 9-7 last year.

"I just want to win games," Harben said. "I'd rather have 15 wins with 38 strikeouts than nine wins and 171 strikeouts."

This season, Harben followed a strong, first start with a shaky second outing.

He enters tonight at 0-1 with a 4.70 ERA, eight strikeouts and four walks.

"He has a tendency to get into a high pitch count rather quickly," Miracle manager Riccardo Ingram said. "The key for him is to keep his pitch count down."

Said Miracle pitching coach Eric Rasmussen: "He's got good stuff. He just has to put it all together. That's what all of these guys have to do at this point."

When told that Harben is friends with Toby Gardenhire, Ingram smiled.

"That always helps," Ingram said.