The Chicago Cubs are the proud owners of Rich Harden

Just two days after the Milwaukee Brewers made the move that might have put them over the top in the NL Central, the Cubs have countered with an equal shot-in-the-arm type deal that could make them World Series favorites if things fall the right way with the centerpiece of this deal.

The Chicago Cubs today acquired right-handed pitchers Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin from the Oakland Athletics for right-handed pitcher Sean Gallagher, outfielder Matt Murton, infielder Eric Patterson and catcher Josh Donaldson.
So now the Cubs have no excuse to NOT win the World Series. If they don’t win the fucker this year I’ll admit it, they’re cursed. When you can trot out Carlos Zambrano, Rich Harden, Ryan Dempster (bizarro world Dempster actually being productive) and then Ted Lilly and Chad Gaudin if needed–then you better bring home the goods.
To us, it certainly looks that the A’s got completely fleeced. And to that we’d like to say to them, thanks a lot asswipes. Just give the Cubs the trophy. Unless the A’s know something we don’t (and usually Billy Beane does), we don’t quite understand the willingness to trade a young pitcher like Harden. It just doesn’t make sense. The guy is as nasty as any pitcher in the league when he can stand on two legs. The A’s get guys who are Major League ready in Murton and Patterson (who’s no spring chicken at 25, and related to Corey Patterson so that sucks) but there really is no player in this deal that you say could end up making this a ‘win’ for the Athletics. Maybe Justin Duchscherer’s emergence as an ace made Harden expendable? Nah, that still doesn’t make sense.