He wasnt cheap though....Eric Patterson, Matt Murton, Sean Gallagher, and a minor leaguer....all in all though, no major prospects although Patterson and Gallagher are young, talented, and big league ready....the A's threw in a decent reliever as well....
http://sportstwo.com/MLB/Story/MLB/2591274 Cubs acquire RHP Harden from Athletics Tuesday, July 8, 2008 07:10 PM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Chicago Cubs did not wait long to counter the big trade made by the Milwaukee Brewers. Chicago acquired righthanders Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin from the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday for righthander Sean Gallagher, outfielder Matt Murton, infielder Eric Patterson and catcher Josh Donaldson. The move comes one day after National League Central Division rival Milwaukee acquired reigning American League Cy Young Award winner CC Sabathia from the Cleveland Indians. Harden will provide the Cubs, who entered Tuesday's play with a 3 1/2-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals and four-game advantage over the Brewers in the NL Central, another front-line starter to go with Carlos Zambrano, who is 9-3 with a 2.96 ERA. Harden is 5-1 with a 2.34 ERA this season, striking out 92 batters in 77 innings. He also has held opponents to a .206 batting average, which is third in the majors. However, there is an injury risk with the 26-year-old, who spent one month on the disabled list from April 10-May 11 with a strained right shoulder. Harden has made only 32 starts over the past three seasons, including four in 2007 due to various arm injuries. Seemingly surprised by the move, Cubs manager Lou Piniella addressed the move an hour before his team took the field against the Cincinnati Reds. "We're very happy to have Rich here," Piniella said. "Let's keep him healthy and pitching and we'll go from there." Harden will not become a free agent after this season, although Chicago has a club option for $7 million. Gaudin, 25, is 5-3 with a 3.59 ERA in 26 appearances - six starts - this season. He has not allowed an earned run in 15 of his 20 relief outings and has pitched at least one innings in 17 of those appearances. The 22-year-old Gallagher began the season in Class AAA Iowa before going 3-4 with a 4.45 ERA in 12 games - 10 starts - with the Cubs. Murton, 26, has split the season between the Cubs and Iowa, batting .250 (10-for-40) with two doubles and six RBI in 19 games for Chicago this season. He has 28 home runs and 104 RBI in 308 games over his four-year major league career. Patterson has had three short stints with the Cubs, batting .237 (9-for-38), while Donaldson is hitting .217 with six home runs and 23 RBI in 63 games for Class A Peoria this season. Donaldson was the Cubs' second-round pick of the 2007 draft. The A's (48-41) entered the day just six games behind the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (54-35) in the AL West.
Better numbers than CC, in better shape overall, and hes signed through 2009 at a great salary number....if he can stay healthy, this is a World Series type accusition....
I seem to remember bartman ****ing us over, but we still had Wood and Prior going for us in two chances to take the series and failed. Bleh.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (TheBeef @ Jul 8 2008, 06:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Better numbers than CC, in better shape overall, and hes signed through 2009 at a great salary number....if he can stay healthy, this is a World Series type accusition....</div> He can't. I'm a G's fan not an A's fan but I've seen the guy repeatedly disappoint because he can't play half the time. Hes good when he does play but time and time again he just does not stay healthy.
I'll take C.C over Harden any day, UNLESS Harden stays healthy. Hes a freakin' beast when healthy. Cub fans need to hope he stays healthy.
