Cubs land pitcher Rich Harden from Athletics

[Porter]

Cubs land pitcher Rich Harden from Athletics - MLB - Yahoo! Sports

CHICAGO (AP)—The Chicago Cubs acquired pitcher Rich Harden from the Oakland Athletics in a six-player trade on Tuesday, a day after the rival Milwaukee Brewers landed CC Sabathia.

The Cubs received the right-handed Harden and righty Chad Gaudin for pitcher Sean Gallagher, outfielders Matt Murton and Eric Patterson, and minor leaguer John Donaldson.

I mean this is very shocking for me. Yeah I know about Harden's history of injuries but you are in the race with the Angels. Why would Beane make this deal. Great Return but its logic to me is questionable.

[love_that_reefer]

The A's did stay in the race without Harden so who knows. I don't think Beane is purposely throwing away the season. The A's still have some very good talent!

[missionhockey21]

There has to be more to Harden's story than we know. Gaudin is a pretty big piece too and for the return... the A's sold LOW if there isn't a greater concern to Harden than we're aware of.

[Porter]

That could be a possiblility misson. But it baffles me that Oakland would make a move like this given their current position in the AL.

[DMBZeppelin]

HAHAHAHA! This is total rape on the Cubs part. We're talking about guys who aren't on the Cubs 25 man roster when everyone is healthy and on track. Gallagher might turn out to be great, but he's the only one in the group who might do anything. As a Cubs fan who knows all those players very well. I'm very very pleased. We didn't even give up a starter, or a stud reliever like Marmol. I look forward to Gaudin joining Marmol and Wood to form a nice pen. This allows the solid Howry to go to strictly middle relief.

[Kingdom]

Harden could hit the DL from straining his neck on the flight to Chicago. How's it a rape when you trade for a guy that could get hurt just by waking up in the morning?

[love_that_reefer]

Because its Harden AND Guadin. Gaudin alone is worth Patterson and Murton.

[rockin500]

Because its Harden AND Guadin. Gaudin alone is worth Patterson and Murton.

exactly. murton and patterson were worthless to the cubs as they were completely superfluous.

[love_that_reefer]

exactly. murton and patterson were worthless to the cubs as they were completely superfluous.

Great word!! rep+

[hot_corner_gurl]

I wonder how Harden's gonna fare in the NL with the hitting and all that stuff. I guess it's a pretty good trade from both sides, though right now I feel that we kinda got the short end of the stick. But if there's one thing I've learned, it's to never question the master and his bag of tricks.

[Providence A's]

HAHAHAHA! This is total rape on the Cubs part. We're talking about guys who aren't on the Cubs 25 man roster when everyone is healthy and on track. Gallagher might turn out to be great, but he's the only one in the group who might do anything. As a Cubs fan who knows all those players very well. I'm very very pleased. We didn't even give up a starter, or a stud reliever like Marmol. I look forward to Gaudin joining Marmol and Wood to form a nice pen. This allows the solid Howry to go to strictly middle relief.

I concur...these guys suck. Why not cut him instead? I'm not the least bit impressed by these guys and wouldn't be surprised if they're out of baseball in 3 - 4 years.

[love_that_reefer]

They are all high OBP guys. Beane's boys.

[Saber]

Not really. Either Oakland made an awful deal or they think Gaudin and Harden will explode if they make physical contact with each other.

[Providence A's]

They are all high OBP guys. Beane's boys.

dude, that's not all the A's value...it's the whole exploiting inefficiencies in the marketplace...back when moneyball was written, that was what it was at the time. As was the A's focusing on college players in the draft. I just find it hilarious that every time the A's do something that deviates from that people try to claim it's a change in philosophy. I guess the market inefficiency in this case is crappy players no one really wanted. These guys suck and won't amount to crap from what I've read. Unless we get lucky or Beane truly knows something that no one else does, this just seems like a dump to me.

[Saber]

Maybe, just maybe, Sean Gallagher is a great prospect, Gaudin has been lucky, and Rich Harden has pitched 149 total innings since the start of 2006.