Harrington Resumes Talks With Baseball Teams

Freedom of speech returned for Matt Harrington on Tuesday, and he quickly put his constitutional right to use, with his advisor speaking to nine major league teams before noon.

Harrington, 19, was unable to talk to any team but the Colorado Rockies, who made him the seventh overall pick last year, until one week before the June 5 draft. Negotiations with the Rockies were contentious and dissolved months ago.

The right-handed pitcher from Palmdale High is playing for the St. Paul Saints, an independent team in the Class-A Northern League. Harrington has had three outings for the Saints, with one more scheduled before the draft.

Harrington has been throwing for three weeks since recovering from the flu and his velocity is not yet at the 97-mph level he established last year. During his most recent outing, it was drizzling and temperatures were in the 40s.

“For the limited time I’ve been throwing, I’m pleased with my progress,” he said. “It’s difficult because I feel I have to show scouts what I’ve got, but they are baseball people and I think they realize I’m still in a spring-training phase.”

Harrington said he did not sign with the Rockies because they reneged on an pre-draft agreement to pay him a $4.95-million signing bonus. The Rockies eventually offered $4 million.