Cubs Want Harden

[love_that_reefer]

Yeah looking at the minor league stats, Donaldson, Patterson and Murton are all high OBP guys which Beane creams for. It could all work out for both sides but right now I say steal but at least the A's have MLB ready guys to fill in and continue to compete in the West.

[Kingdom]

Gaudin was a really solid addition in this deal. Suppose he's excited for the Piniella experience again?

[cjkalt]

In Beane I trust

[bwitty24]

I think this is a great trade for OAK. Despite Harden's greatness, he is such an injury liability it is crazy. He hasn't played a full season in forever.

[Providence A's]

i wont go so far as stealing, because it all depends on Harden staying healthy. If he does? then it may well be. Patterson can play offense, but is brutal at both 2b and OF defensively. Murton can play left field, and his power seems to have vanished, but he can get on base, he just didnt have a position on the cubs. You can stick him in right if you must, but he doesnt really have the arm for it. Donaldson may be good for the A's. He wasnt going to be in the show due to this guy named Soto.

Gallagher has a good arm, and should definitely help the A's.

This may actually be a trade good for both sides. But I like that Hendry is willing to gamble a bit, without giving up the real prizes (Marmol, Soto, etc.)

as you say, it depends on Harden, but I don't see this working out for the A's regardless. I'm not impressed with any of those guys we got from what I've read in the past and so on. Hopefully, Beane knows something no one else does.

I really only seeing this deal working out 2 ways. 1, Harden gets hurt and missed time a lot like in the past and the guys the A's get suck like they should. Or 2, Harden thrives and the guys we got suck like they should. Either way, we don't get anything out of it. Maybe Beane is hoping something changes with the crap we got.

[Kingdom]

In fact, one baseball man called Oakland's decision to trade Harden now -- while he's pitching great and the A's are still in a race -- a "serious red flag." Meanwhile, in a potentially related development, a scout we surveyed reported that Harden's velocity hasn't been quite the same in his most recent couple of starts, since his eight-inning, 11-strikeout two-hitter against the Phillies on June 26.

Won't be for a few seasons till we see how the package Oakland got turns out. Murton doesn't really impress me, had one solid season but he got buried by Reed Johnson and Jim Edmonds? Granted, Edmonds has found the power stroke a little and Reed brings enthusiasm and what not but both those guys got waxed off their former teams. That's none too encouraging.

[DMBZeppelin]

as you say, it depends on Harden, but I don't see this working out for the A's regardless. I'm not impressed with any of those guys we got from what I've read in the past and so on. Hopefully, Beane knows something no one else does.

I really only seeing this deal working out 2 ways. 1, Harden gets hurt and missed time a lot like in the past and the guys the A's get suck like they should. Or 2, Harden thrives and the guys we got suck like they should. Either way, we don't get anything out of it. Maybe Beane is hoping something changes with the crap we got.

As a Cubs fan I can assure you everything you think is true. Murton can get on a hot streak with the bat. He had a great swing when first called up. Till Dusty and the hitting coach Sarge decided "Oh hey you need to hit for more power". They tinkered with his swing and he's regressed EVERY YEAR. If Bean could fix his swing somehow, he's a guy who can hit to all fields. But he's going to be 27 later this year. I mean some guys figure it out late, but who really likes those odds? He was only on the Cubs 25 man roster due to injuries.

Eric Patterson is Corey Patterson without the defense and power. He's got speed, and in the right situation might hit for average. Defensively he's HORRIBLE in the outfield. Actually cost the Cubs games. Soriano is a huge upgrade defesnively... SORIANO. I don't understand why Beane would want him. At least Murton has a great eye and can draw walks.

Josh Donaldson is someone who's only recently gotten a buzz about him. He wasn't viewed as much, but he's turned his bat around. From what I know defensively he's average at best. Easy giveaway for the Cubs with Soto blocking the catchers position for the next 10 years.

Gallagher had to be what this trade is about. I think he can be a #2 or #3 when and if he develops. He's inconsistent, but he's only 22. For the Cubs this makes sense because they are focusing on 2008. But if I was the A's I'd have gone after Samardzija or Veal who have A LOT more upside and are also near MLB ready.

I can honestly say this was a no brainer for the Cubs. None of these guys were going to pan out for the Cubs. With the exception of maybe Gallagher. But they didn't give away Josh Vitters, Samardzija, Tyler Colvin, Felix Pie, or anything with super star potential. Harden has that if healthy. Plus I think Gaudin REALLY makes that pen look a lot deeper.

[NYgiantsfan5689]

DMB, I completely agree. In my book, this goes down as an AWFUL trade for the A's. The Cubs traded lots of risk with little reward for lots of risk with UNGODLY reward. Good job Cubs, go back to trade school A's front office. To me, the only guy on the Cubs that the A's could use would be Pie. And he wasn't in the deal. So the A's get an F- on this trade from me.

[Providence A's]

I think that's a little extreme. Beane's track record allows him this type of move. Clearly, they know something about Harden and/or these guys. This article breaks it down nicely. We may not have gotten a lot, but we may not have really given up as much as people think. We did save $8 mil, too.

Harden versus Gallagher | FanGraphs Baseball

[DMBZeppelin]

I think that's a little extreme. Beane's track record allows him this type of move. Clearly, they know something about Harden and/or these guys. This article breaks it down nicely. We may not have gotten a lot, but we may not have really given up as much as people think. We did save $8 mil, too.

Harden versus Gallagher | FanGraphs Baseball

When it takes something like that to make you feel ok about a deal, it's not a good deal. I also find it hard to believe that you lose only 1.5 wins. That really depends on how he pitches. He's going to face better lineups in the AL. Hopefully Beane knows what he's doing and Gallagher is great for you. Because he's the only one in the deal where I don't know what the future holds for him.

[love_that_reefer]

This definitely favors the Cubs but its not as bad as I first thought. The Cubs give up nothing they will miss but Murton and Gallagher are guys the A's can use now. Murton can play LF and Gallagher can take a rotation spot. Patterson is still a back up infielder but he can hit and run. Beane made the move on the chance Harden gets hurt again and gets nothing out of him since he is a free agent after next year. Beane got something now rather than nothing later. The A's are still in the hunt despite losing two good pitchers. They can plug Murton in LF keeping Cust at DH. The Cubs get two pitchers and even if Harden does get injured, the can use Gaudin top fill his spot. So the Cubs got two pitchers that will help immediately and the A's got two players who can help now, a backup infielder and possible replacement if Ellis leaves and a catcher that may or may not make it.

[Providence A's]

When it takes something like that to make you feel ok about a deal, it's not a good deal. I also find it hard to believe that you lose only 1.5 wins. That really depends on how he pitches. He's going to face better lineups in the AL. Hopefully Beane knows what he's doing and Gallagher is great for you. Because he's the only one in the deal where I don't know what the future holds for him.

I didn't say it made me feel good. I just said it was a way to look at it. Clearly, we didn't get any studs out of the deal. Harden is a stud, but he hasn't pitched much in the last few years. I guess Beane is banking on Gallagher's durability balancing out Harden's time out and if we get something out of the other guys, it's a bonus. We save $8 mil as well, which can be used elsewhere. Believe me, it doesn't make me feel good, but he must be banking on Harden continuing the way he has gone. I don't like it, but I can understand it somewhat I suppose.

[DMBZeppelin]

I didn't say it made me feel good. I just said it was a way to look at it. Clearly, we didn't get any studs out of the deal. Harden is a stud, but he hasn't pitched much in the last few years. I guess Beane is banking on Gallagher's durability balancing out Harden's time out and if we get something out of the other guys, it's a bonus. We save $8 mil as well, which can be used elsewhere. Believe me, it doesn't make me feel good, but he must be banking on Harden continuing the way he has gone. I don't like it, but I can understand it somewhat I suppose.

Maybe I get that if this is July 31st, but it just seemed like he had time to find a better deal. Given that Beane got so much from the D-Backs and White Sox. I just can't believe the package he took. Though maybe Beane wanted to get this done before Harden's next start. His veolicity was down a bit. Maybe he saw that and said "Oh shit, it's now or never."