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Rich Harden said he is optimistic he can achieve his first injury-free season since 2004 but criticized the A's for their handling of his injuries in recent years.

"The whole year (last season) I've got people in the organization telling me I'm fine, that I've got to pitch with pain," Harden said after reporting to training camp Wednesday. "It's insulting, because they don't know what's going on."

Harden was intentionally unspecific with his finger-pointing. Asked who was applying this pressure, he said, "I've got a lot of stuff to say. I don't want to say it."

Harden, 31-18 with a 3.60 ERA during his career, was limited to 32 starts over the past three years because of injuries, and he had biceps tendinitis this winter.

Last season, the right-hander second-guessed a decision to have him pitch in relief as he tried to come back from a strained shoulder suffered in April.

Harden made three relief appearances in June but landed back on the disabled list because of the shoulder injury after lasting just 2 2/3 innings in a July 7 start. He said he partly went along with the idea to relieve in response to the perception within the organization that he wasn't tough enough to pitch through pain.

"That's what's frustrating - you get people in the organization questioning whether or not I can pitch with pain," he said. "That's what's hurt me in the past. I've gone out there (and pushed it too much)."

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