Great deal for the Cubs. It’s a bit high-risk because Harden’s so volatile, but I don’t think any of the pieces they gave up are that good to begin with.

I pretty much have full faith in Beane in any trade, which is why I would implore Sabean to never, ever trade with him.

Nonetheless, a ton of depth here. Gallagher could be a very good 2-3 in a rotation for years to come, Murton is underrated, Patterson could be a decent replacement for Ellis next year, and Donaldson is a decent catching prospect, just has a long to go.

A nice, deep haul, I just would’ve prefered something like Gallagher, Hill, and Donaldson (but maybe the Cubs value Hill a lot more than I think)

Gallagher’s only 22 and still has a lot of room to be good. He was the #5 prospect according to BA last season.

Donaldson is the same age, but he’s struggling offensively in low A ball. He converted from 3b to C and is still learning the position. He was the #7 prospect for the Cubs last year.

I always thought that Murton should get more time and he put up respectable numbers, but the Cubs just didn’t want to play him and he became superfluous with the signing of Fukudome.

Patterson will probably be better than his brother, but has yet to make an impact at the big league level. He’s put up decent minor league numbers, though, for a speed guy. He would have been more valuable if he could stick at 2b, but he couldn’t.

Frankly, I’m kinda surprised the A’s didn’t get more. I thought they might, at least, get Ceda or even Colvin, given how Beane has swindled so many GMs. Given Harden’s injury history, though, it’s not surprising that this was all that Beane & Co could get.

http://www.athleticsnation.com/2008/7/8/567387/a-s-trade-harden-and-gaudi#comments

which means I am.

It’s the Hudson trade all over again.

Harden AND Gaudin? That seems like a lot. I’m glad I’m not more of an A’s fan than I am, because I don’t know if I’d be very happy. Harden pretty much had to be moved at some point. Even if he played for a team that didn’t jettison every good player that comes through the ranks, he would likely have had to be traded because of his eventual risk to cost ratio.

But I would have wanted… not more… but better overall, for those TWO pitchers.

I think it’s just a fair deal all the way around, the A’s couldn’t get top value for a guy who has never been able to stay healthy. Harden is probably the most frustrating type of player for a GM to evaluate, Lights out on the mound, but never able to take the mound nearly enough to make your team better on the whole. He’s like fools gold. I thought Gallagher looked decent when he faced us a week ago, and he’s only 22 which gives him all kinds of time to get better at the ML level, profiling him as a decent #3 seems accurate. A’s fans are ridiculous, they’d tell you Goudin alone could have returned Murton + Gallagher. They overvalue their prospects way more than we do

Have they packed it in this year. I don’t think so. Where might they have some holes that we could gladly fill (hehe). I want Rasmus but I don’t think anything short of Cain or Lincecum is going to get him.

Interesting trade for Oakland.

Sean Gallagher is a solid pick up. He’s not a superstar in the making, but he has improved essentially every season, and should become a good rotation starter, deepening any rotation.

Donaldson is less of a sure thing. He has some legitimate power, and has good plate discipline. But this year, he’s really struggling to simply get hits. There’s some upside to him, but he’s definitely a riskier pickup.

Eric Patterson is a versatile infielder, with some outfield experience (corners, not center). However, he doesn’t stand out in any one tool, and his best tool, his speed, has not been as standout recently. He’s got an average ceiling at best, and could be limited to being a utility player in the majors.

Murton feels a bit like a dump. The highest drafted player in this group, Murton has slipped in his major league performance each of the past four seasons, and his power is slipping away. He’s got the plate discipline the A’s love, but he’s out of options and the Cubs, in a win now mode, don’t have time to wait for the soon-to-be 27-year old. Do the A’s? Maybe, but his ceiling is dropping quickly.

Gaudin’s not a huge factor. He’ll deepen the Cubs bullpen, but he’s as likely to fall off the radar as continue to do well or improve. If his control continues to be better, who knows. He’s not a starter long term.

Harden, however, is a hell of a response by the Cubs to the Sabathia pickup. He’s a possible division winner. For the Cubs, I think this is a great move.

For the A’s…it’s another move without a lot of high ceiling players. They get a lot deeper at the 40-man level, but Gallagher is the closest thing to a star in this move. It’s not a bad move for the A’s, and it’ll help building for the future, but these aren’t the players you build around, these are the players that build around the stars. They’ve picked up a lot of the latter in recent trades.

Otherwise they are selling low, which is very much un-Beane-like. Hardin, when healthy, has been one of the top pitchers in the majors. I would have thought the A’s would have held on to him and shown that he could stay healthy for a full season or so and then traded him. The only real explanation is that they don’t believe he will ever be healthy.

sounds like one hell of a Billy Goat Curse/Bomb waiting to blow up.

I hope it happens on a national stage, because I want to watch.

He should have gotten more for Harden. I know he could break down, but you would think the Cubs would be kind of anxious right after the Brewers beat them to Sabathia and Beane should have been able to take advantage of it. Not only that, but the A’s aren’t that far behind the Angels that they should be conceding anything. You also could make the case that Beane was dead wrong conceding this year before it had even started. Put Danny Haren and Nick Swisher back on this team along with Harden and they might have very well won the division. I’m all for rebuilding, but why start a rebuilding program when your team can be a contender?? Sometimes I think Beane tries so hard to show you he’s a genius that be becomes pretty stupid. (which is the same disease that Tony LaRussa has)

that this trade is worth it when one includes chad gaudin.

granted, he should have traded gaudin, but this is just not the package that one elite, but oft-injured and one above average pitcher, both of whom are merely arbitration eligible, that is deserved. Unless Gallagher matches Harden, patterson becomes valuable and one of Murton or Donaldson becomes an average major league starter, I just don’t see this deal working out in the long run.

The Cubs immediately announced that Harden would start either Friday or Saturday against the Giants. I had noticed the other day that Zambrano was pitching Wednesday, so he wouldn’t pitch in this series and then of course they had to add Harden, a guy we can’t touch.

That doesn’t say he got traded to Cuba.

Who cares about Harden going to Chicago?