Cubs Acquire Rich Harden, Chad Gaudin

Please tell me they netted more than Gallagher and Murton.

All eyes are on the Central.

I dont think the Cubs are done...Will they go after another SP or a RP or a power bat? What do you think?

Although i'm disappointed that we gave up Sean Gallagher if all we gave up was Sean Gallagher and Mat Murton then i am O.K. with it!

I think the power bat the Cubs will "acquire" is Soriano when he's healthy again. I don't think they have enough to get a second starting pitcher unless it's Randy Wolf or something. They look pretty solid right now. Suddenly, Dempster --an all-star-- is their fourth starter. Not bad.

OH THANK YOU SWEET LORD!!

Ugh here comes the Cubgasm

This seems like it's going to work out really well for both teams.... anyone know how Donaldson was??

I'm going to feel really stupid asking this question but what does it mean to exercise a contract?

@ John Difford

You didn't have the prospects. The haters were right. Beane really dropped the ball here.

Donaldson was #7 of our top 10 at the begining of the year. He has struggled some, but is rated as a very good prospect. Obviously, Soto blocks his ML service here.

as a Brewers fan...I think the Cubs got a hell of a deal right here...But I only think it makes the Central even again...if not the Cubs taking a little bit of a lead again...not because of Harden...but because they got Gaudin as well!

Uhh

I guess Beane hates the Brewers.

Ha I totally forgot how he complained of a "dead arm" 2 weeks ago and hasnt dominated since then, OOPS.

Honestly, Im bummed Gaudin wasnt held onto for another deal. This deal looks a lot more fair when its just Harden for the 4. But yeah Harden seems to be hurt as of now, interesting deal....

what do you think was the bigger trade overall

CC to the Crew

Harden, Gaudin to the Cubs

I think CC is a huge trade for the Brewers just because it was probably the biggest trade in franchise history...

However overall talent wise, it really looks like the Cubs win here...Getting 2 solid pitchers in the same trade...giving up the same amount of players as the Brewers and getting one more guy...

The more I think about it...the more Beane dropped the ball on this trade

Wow. Billy Beane actually took a deal that makes some sense. I guess Harden's injuries made him aware that he wasn't getting a Haren-esque haul. Honestly, the more interesting part of this deal for the Cubs is Gaudin. A very valuable swingman who seems to have gotten his control issues taken care of. Gaudin could make their rotation even better. And of course, there is a potentially healthy Harden. If they can keep him right, they really might win that World Series.

T Unit,

Keep in mind the Cubs have Harden next year, the Brewers have to sign CC to keep him.

All in all, both the Brewers and Cubs made great deals to help their teams.

I thought Harden could walk after this year? I thought it was some kind of option year?

Granted I didn't look too deep into it...and regarding Gaudin...do you think they will use him out of the pen or the rotation? I definietly see him coming out of the pen!

All of the Cubs haters are hilarious...your jealousy screams out in your comments.

Harden's hurt? Not that I have heard. After his last start he said he has no pain and just had a bad night. He still only gave up 2 runs to the Angels, one of the best teams in baseball.

Gallagher was going to the bullpen anyway and couldn't put hitters away, Murton was going back to AAA when Soriano came back, Patterson is useless and was in Piniella's dog house, and Donaldson is hitting a robust .217 at single-A.

Plus they get Gaudin, a spot starter/reliever (who is only 25) with a mid-3's ERA. Sounds like a good deal to me.

Great job, Jim Hendry. Even if Harden does end up getting hurt, at least he's doing his job. Who else would we have gotten, Randy Wolf? Please.

Lets get rid of Marquis

"Big - Z
Harden
Lilly
Dempster
Marquis

Show me a better starting five in the MLB"

I forgot to address this. Here you go.

Lackey
Saunders
Santana
Weaver
Garland

I would almost start Gaudin over Marquis. I gotta say tho I think Beane did drop the ball. Thankfully I guess its Burnett next to go I hope the jays get a better package now since the available market has shrunk alot.

I think Gaudin is coming out of the pen. The Cubs have been rotating guys in and out to keep Marmol and Howry fresh. Gaudin is a welcome addition.

The NL Central may be the best division in baseball right now. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Brewers and Cubs play in the NL championship this year.

I dont think the Cubs are done trading.

"AA please make a more concise point and add the relevant quote in there in future, your post just now made zero sense at all."

I did add the relevant quote.

great deal for the cubs if harden stays healthy. i'm glad to see him leave the al west.

i'm really suprised beane didn't have an auction for him and let it be widely known he was available. seems like he could have gotten 2 solid prospects instead of 1 and 3 so so prospects.

This is a HUGE STEAL. The Cubs got Harden without giving up Josh Vitters. WE ARE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 100 YEARS!!!!!

And for all the fans that said the Cubs didn't have enough to aquire a front line starting pitcher, I'm talking to you DARKSTAR, take this.

I think Gallagher will be the best player from this deal in 3-5 years but IF Harden is healthy for this season -- at least through the playoffs -- the deal will be worth it. The Cubs didn't give up anyone who was going to be on their potential playoff roster. It was worth the risk.

Not to rain on everybody's parade but I'm (non-Cubs, non-Brewers fan) here to remind all that games aren't won or lost by comparing rosters. I'd be careful guaranteeing a championship or anything else based on mid-season deals.

Um, the whole country gets Cubs and White Sox games because of WGN.

hm i didnt get them when i lived in NJ....interesting

T Unit,

I think Gaudin is out of the pen. Marquis has his replacement in Marshall if Jason falters.

Curse,

I can see why you would put Prior and Harden in the same class with injuries. However, Prior was a head case. He never seemed like he wanted to be a Cub. I do not know about Harden and his make up, but right now he is not on the DL and I like the move.

We are talking a half regular season and hopefully all of the playoffs. Next year or long term with Harden will take care of itself. It is a roll of the dice, but we did not drain our system as some said we would...or could not afford.

If Harden can stay healthy, this is a steal for the Cubs. Gallagher's a #3, Donaldson's a decent prospect but not a first class prospect, and the other two are space fillers. All this makes me think that Harden's likely to break down soon. I can't see why else Beane would make this deal. What he got for Haren was ten times better; what he got for Swisher was much better, too.

playwright

Donaldson is a Top Cubs prospect. He is going to be a hell of a catcher. Patterson has shown glimpses of greatness. I think is a pretty fair deal.

Hmm, trade Gallagher, (who was going to go to the pen) and some spare parts for Rich Harden and a BETTER bullpen option than Gallagher WOULD have been? OK!!!

I liked Gallagher and Murt alot and I hope Harden stays healthy but this is a fantastic deal. Lunchbox Sabathia will probably be a Yankee or some crap next year and we'll still have OUR fireballer.

As someone stated up above, I wouldn't be surprised if Hendry isn't done...I'm sure he wouldn't mind unloading Marquis and his contract (altough I really don't think he's as awful as everybody wants to make him out to be) and CF has been a little banged up. Some insurance in the OF might not be a bad thing. Speaking of which, with Murton and Patterson dealt, we should see some more Hoffpauer pretty quick-like.

I can't believe I'm actually reading some comments who are complaining about having to give up Gallagher. A best possible case out of Gallagher is him being as good as Harden and is highly unlikely. Since scrapping his slider, Harden has basically been healthy..... and he just got dealt for two good prospects, and failed prospect, and a fringe ML utility type... go buy a lottery ticket cubs fans, it's your lucky day

I think the Cubs should go after David DeJesus from the Royals.

To all the Cubs haters that constantly put down what we were offering (Gallagher, Murton, Patterson, entire farm system for that matter):

Hahahahahaaaahaaaaaaahhaaaaaha!

Beane knows Harden is hurt and just got the best deal he could before Harden's next start.

Sorry for the silly question, but is Patterson a much better prospect than Felix Pie?

Talentwise, Pie is better but Patterson has a better feel for the game. He was a pretty exciting offensive player at times but he was a little inconsistent. And his defense needs a lot of work.

All right Jim. Now go get A.J. Burnett and on we go

Beane usually asks for the kitchen sink but it seems as if he sold for less. Harden is lights out when he is healthy but his trade value is hurt by his injury risk. Something must be wrong because an Ace even an injury prone one is worth more than that

Also, I may be mistaken here, but haven't most of Harden's injury problems been shoulder related, as opposed to elbow related? Seems to me that a slider would place a similar strain on the shoulder as a fastball, with the primary difference being stress on the elbow. If that's the case, than how is not throwing a slider going to help Harden, especially since its the shoulder bothering him again?

Harden isn't a top of the rotation pitcher, now? What is he, a fifth starter? Please. Harden has some of the best stuff in baseball. he's not the innings eater you'd like out of a #1 guy...but we already have that in Zambrano. Harden is a solid two. I'm surprised about all the sour grapes coming from A's fans. Personally, I'm rooting for Gallagher, Patterson and Murton to do well.

On a side note, I'd like to thank Andy McPhail for one more assist to the Cubs. If he had taken a Gallagher, Patterson, Murton package for Roberts we would have been stuck at this point and forced to give up our farm for a pitcher. And all for a player we never really needed. As it is, we had the resources to acquire something the team REALLY needed: A starter who fits in to the #2 slot in the rotation. The Roberts deal is turning into one of the best non-deals in recent Cub history.

The people who think Beane "screwed" Hendry because he KNEW Harden was injured are the same morons who think that the President can "lead" our economy by just issuing commands to lower gas prices. Critical thinking baseball fans realize that Beane would never knowingly trade an injured player, and thereby commit fraud, for two reasons: (1) I'm sure The Bud would go apesh!t and punish the A's for not acting in good-faith; and (2) Beane's reputation would become such that no other ML team would deal with him in an economical manner. There is a difference between being shrewd and being fraudulent. Beane is shrewd.

Moreover, all ML clubs, (except for Dodgers under Ned Colletti seemingly) are run by sophisticated, intelligent, deep-pocketed GMs. Getting fleeced at the time of the deal rarely occurs. How a trade ends up benefitting or hurting a team in the long-run is a different matter.

The Ghost of Charles O. Finley Lives !! Warped Balls and Old Jocks for Harden & Gaudin

FIRESALE in oakland any of our players for your Scrubs

Scrranger11 seems overly naive - a few years back the Reds and the Nationals made a trade which turned out to contain damaged goods with little or no negative fallout.
Obviously, the Cubs got a potentially VERY good pitcher for a fairly cheap price. And Beane is not known for giving discounts on his deals. So maybe you should think twice who the moron is.