A day after Jim Hendry said he didn’t feel any pressure to answer the Brewers acquisition of CC Sabathia, he answered the Brewers acquisition of CC Sabathia.
The Cubs traded three parts they couldn’t use (Ginger Murton, E-Patterson, minor league catcher Josh Donaldson) and one part who wasn’t going to bear real fruit for a year or two (Sean Gallagher) to the Oakland Athletics for righthanded pitchers Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin.
Somebody’s got to say it, so I will. Who does Rich Harden most remind you of?
You post a 2.34 ERA in the American League, and you are doing something.
Basically, if Sean Gallagher becomes 100 percent of what the most optimistic people think he might become he becomes almost as good as Harden is. This is a four for two trade, but it’s a one for two trade for all practical purposes.
Eric Patterson and Matt Murton are fatally flawed. Patterson has no position and a swing too much like his brother, Murton has no power and no position. Donaldson might be good, but the Cubs have a catcher who is starting a little game on Tuesday night. They’re probably in a good position to trade a minor league catcher.
So the trade is Gallagher for Harden and Gaudin. You’d do that trade every day and twice on Sunday.
The fact that news of the trade will ooze through the curds in Milwaukee just about the time fat CC is warming up tonight is just that much better.
Now, the big question, of course, is why would a very good GM like Billy Beane trade his best pitcher for two schmucks, a class A catcher and a pitcher? Two things…maybe more.
1) Harden’s been on the DL NINE times in the past five years. Nine. Guh. After making 53 straight starts to start his career, the most he’s made in a row since 2005 is 11. And that’s a current streak. You know Beane didn’t just talk to Hendry. This is the most he could get for him. Instead of waiting for another DL stint, Beane sent his headache east.
2) Sure, the A’s are six games out, but they’re not good enough to win the AL West this year. Beane is trying to rebuild and unlike some GMs, he doesn’t let a little unexpected success (Ed Lynch) completely sabotage his long-term plans. Gallagher’s a nice prospect who might turn out to be really good. Beane and the A’s didn’t want to pay the $7 million Harden is owed next season.
The truth is probably a combination of one and two.
So, it’s a risk. But honestly, any trade for a top notch pitcher this year is going to be a risk. Sabathia threw almost 250 innings last year and never had approached that before. He was terrible in the playoffs, then terrible to start the season, and how much of that can be attributed to his workload is unknown. The other names bandied about like AJ Burnett also have injury questions.
Harden was the best available pitcher and the Cubs got him, and really only gave up one real player for him.
If he gets hurt tomorrow they’re hardly much worse off than they were this morning. If he’s right?
Zambrano and Harden are as good a 1-2 as anybody in the big leagues can put atop their playoff rotation.
Isn’t it nice to root for a team that’s trying to win a World Series?
IN YOUR FACE MIWAUKEE!!!!
How about some love for Gaudin? This guy is better than Marquis, he’s the equal of 2008-quality Sean Gallagher. So really, the trade was Orange Guy, NSBB $100 guy, and a .217 hitting A-ball catcher for Rich Harden. Are you kidding me? Is Dave Littlefield the new advisor to Billy Beane?
Just plain wow.
Say what you will about some of my mistakes (signing the Marquis de Suc and trading Maddux for Little Cesar), but you gotta give me some credit. I fleeced Pissburgh for Aramis and Lofton, swindled Florida for MVLee, signed the Fukkake, and now basically traded the pu pu platter for Harden and a respectable arm in Gaudin. Throw in my signing of Lilly when I was having a damn angioplasty, and that’s some fine work. If you ask me, I think I’ve earned myself a couple more years of free doughnuts.
will bonertime now be changed to hardentime?
Jim’s always up to something. Good, in this case. Wonder how CC’s performance is going to pan out tonight.
#3, trading for Lil Cesar was my fault … I should have gotten a better return for myself.
Great trade…even if Harden gets hurt tomorrow falling out of a hot tub, Gaudin will be more/just as effective this year than Gallagher would be. Ginger and Patterson had no future with this team.
#1 – IN YOUR FACE MIWAUKEE!!!!
I respond with: Sheets, Sabathia, Parra, Gagne, Braun, Hardy (NL Player of the Week), Hart . . . and damn it Elmer Fudd . . . Oh, Shit! Elmer? We need a MLB manager before we can get this done . . . damn it, damn it, damn it!
Pancakes anybody?
Does anyone have Lou Piniella’s phone number, we need a MLB manager A.S.A.P.!
Props to Brauney for making the Home Run derby. You go white boy!
Isn’t funny
well put andy. I agree. You have to do that deal if you are the cubs. Yes, Harden is among the most fragile players in baseball, but I’m not going to miss the guys they gave up anytime soon, and they don’t need him to be durable. They need him to put this team over the top. They need him to be able to make 5-6 starts in the post season. He’s capable of shutting down anybody.
Anybody is capable of shutting down anybody until they don’t shut them down. Nice try Cubbies, Milwaukee’s first strike is much more potent. How stange that both teams had identical scores tonight – 7-3 wins for both.
Do I boo Mark Mulder now since he was teammates with Harden?
Sabathia is more potent? Huh? Harden puts up better numbers. Consistently. He’s the more dominant pitcher. And he’s right-handed, and righties fare better against Milwaukee- while CC is a lefty, and the Cubs kill lefties. So, might want to do some research, douche.
mmmm…..doughnuts
I’m a pretty shitty award!
“Somebody’s got to say it, so I will. Who does Rich Harden most remind you of?”
I SO hope you are wrong, and SO fear you are right.
This guy has spent a lot of time on the shelf in a relatively short amount of time. I still like the move, but hope that Lou and Larry can find a way to keep this guy healthy.
I second what #15 said…..you are a douche!
thank god oakland love gingers so much. last time i traded a ginger, all i got was sunblock.
The good news is that Harden never pitched for me.
13 is right, I’ll take CC over Harden any day. Their talent is just about equal, but only one can give you 8 innings 20 times a year. That said, if the choice is giving up a major league-ready big power bat for CC, or giving up the leftover screws from a some-assembly-required TV stand for Harden, I’ll take Harden. Barring catastrophe, the Cubs should take the division by 5-7 games.
not just behind the plate anymore. Can you imagine running out a bunt with both CC and Prince making for first at the same time. Seriously, a guy like Fontenot might never be seen again.
Not just behind the plate anymore. Can you imagine running out a bunt with CC and Prince making for first at the same time. Seriously, a guy like Fontenot might never be seen again/
This really isn’t a good trade. Harden’s going to end up on the DL. I applaud Hendry’s gusto, but in the end, this is going to backfire.
Even if he tanks, we gave up nothing and have an insurance policy in Gaudin.
I am pissed Murton was traded. He is soooo hot!
Andy! Remember when you sent the pizza to Jimmy Anderson’s hotel room?
doncha think Jim Hendry deserves a box of Krispy Kremes for this trade?
I’m in the “do this trade every day and twice on Sunday” camp.
Harden is going to take away Rich Hill’s pitching slot! THIS IS A DISAAAAASSTERR!!!!
Pitching 8 innings in the AL is a different animal than in the NL – of course Uncle Ned might not figure that out, but typically a pitcher get’s lifted earlier in the NL for a pinch hitter. I wonder how that works though when you have your pitcher hitting 8th?
Let’s just have everyone, on a rotating basis, take two weeks off and freshen up. It clearly works wonders. Fonzie, we’ll see you after the break…DLee, go ahead and rest up…A-Ram same for you…Lassie’s already thrown in the towel, so let’s give him a permanent break…
#25 I think you’re HOT!
WAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLT!!!!!!
MICHAERRR!!!
Fat Guys Says:
July 9th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
not just behind the plate anymore. Can you imagine running out a bunt with both CC and Prince making for first at the same time. Seriously, a guy like Fontenot might never be seen again.
Me and CC been working out with the Grave Digger, Gilbert Brown. Keep your eye on the ball, and the fat guys!