Rich Harden to the Cubs

[herpes]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5588

CHICAGO -- 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.

"He's got really good stuff," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "He knows how to win. A welcome addition."

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

"It gives us another weapon, and he'll fit in here really, really nice," Piniella said of Harden.

Harden, scheduled to be a free agent after the 2009 season, is 5-1 with a 2.34 ERA in 13 starts this season. He's scheduled to $4.75 million this season.

The oft-injured righty missed a month earlier this season because of a right shoulder strain. It was his sixth trip to the disabled list in his six-year career.

"We've been working on Mr. Harden for a few weeks now," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said.

The Cubs said they expected Harden would join the team Wednesday.

The Cubs pay three games against the Cincinnati Reds starting Tuesday night before hosting the San Francisco Giants.

"He'll pitch in the San Francisco series," Piniella said.

Chad Gaudin

Gaudin

Hendry said the trade was not a reaction to the Sabathia trade by the Brewers, who were four games behind the NL Central-leading Cubs heading into Tuesday night.

"Our mode all year is we're trying to get better," he said.

But Piniella liked how it all came together.

"Jim's been trying to improve our team, and he's been tralking to a few clubs about our pitching, and yesterday Milwaukee made a nice trade for a left-handed starter and today Jim went out amd made a nice deal for a right-handed starter," Piniella said.

Chicago also received Gaudin, who was 5-3 win a 3.59 ERA in 26 games -- including six starts. Last season, he was a starter all season and went 11-13 with a 4.42 ERA.

"I had Chad at Tampa Bay and he's got good stuff," Piniella said. "A nice hard sinker and a nice slider so he'll fit in good in our bullpen. This was a move where we got a top of the line rotation pitcher and a nice piece in the bullpen."

To land the pair, the Cubs had to part with Murton, a former top prospect who has yet to live up to his billing. In his fourth season, Murton has shuttled between Triple-A Iowa and Chicago. He's hitting .250 in 40 at-bats.

"Hopefully he'll go swing the bat for them," Piniella said.

They also traded the right-handed Gallagher, who is 3-4 with a 4.45 ERA in 12 games, including 10 starts, in his second season.

"I thought he came up here and pitched very well for us and I think he's going to pitch better," Piniella said.

Patterson, the brother of Corey Patterson, was sent to the minors on July 3, the fourth time this year he's been sent down. An outfielder who can also play second base, Patterson was hitting .237 with a homer and seven RBIs in 38 at-bats with the big league club.

Donaldson, a catcher for Single A Peoria, was hitting .217 with six homers.

"You're not getting a guy like this without it hurting a little bit," Hendry said.

Piniella said that Hendry had told him recently that the Cubs likely didn't have the pieces to get Sabathia but that the club had other irons in the fire. He found out about the Harden deal when he arrived at Wrigley Field on Tuesday.

"There are some good teams in this division." Piniella said. "I like our team and I like it even more now."

Piniella said the trade should send a message to Cubs fans.

"This shows the Cubs are going to do everything in their power to get where we want to go."

[Javier]

lol The MLB Cold War has started

[herpes]

lol The MLB Cold War has started

The NL Central is scary.  I say forget the NL West just have the top three teams from the NL Central make the playoffs.

[Javier]

They should just get rid of all the divisions and make it the playoffs go to the Top 4 teams in each League.  That will just make it fair. 

[herpes]

They should just get rid of all the divisions and make it the playoffs go to the Top 4 teams in each League.  That will just make it fair. 

Nah unless the division winners really suck which may be a possibility with the way the East and West look lol.

[Twentytwofifty]

Great pickup for the Cubs.  Like everyone else, I'm not confident in Harden's durability but they didn't give up anything for him so it's a pretty good gamble considering the HUGE upside if he stay healthy. 

[Chamillitary Click]

what a fuckin move by the cubbies! i say they take the central.

[eS El Duque]

lol The MLB Cold War has started

The NL Central is scary.  I say forget the NL West just have the top three teams from the NL Central make the playoffs.

fo real lol....west is disgusting

[OG Hack Wilson]

HIGH RISK but high reward

[S P I C E]

The A's got hosed on this one,  They got shit in return for Harden.  Sean Gallagher has some potential but Murton and Patterson suck

[Chamillitary Click]

The A's got hosed on this one,  They got shit in return for Harden.  Sean Gallagher has some potential but Murton and Patterson suck

bad deal if harden wasnt like injury prone. harden has spent at least 35 games on the DL in each of the last four years. two of the four were 130+ games. if the cubs keep him healthy it would be a real ripoff. we've seen cubs pitchers spend seasons on the DL. (RIP Mark Prior ).

[OG Hack Wilson]

The A's got hosed on this one,  They got shit in return for Harden.  Sean Gallagher has some potential but Murton and Patterson suck

thats probably more to Hardens health in the past

why not get what you can while hes at his best?

[MontrealCity's Most]

Great pickup for the Cubs.  Like everyone else, I'm not confident in Harden's durability but they didn't give up anything for him so it's a pretty good gamble considering the HUGE upside if he stay healthy. 

yeah they had there share of problems with injuries with pitches....Prior, Clement

["THE" MoSav]

Kerry Wood almost too^^
Hes just lucky he became a good closer and got his arm back

[Javier]

It's probably the best deal the A's could have gotten.  They weren't going to exercise his option for 2009, might as well deal him.