A's trade Harden and Gaudin for Grab Bag of Scrubs

patterson can be very good

Don't ever underestimate Billy Beane. What he actually got in the trade was:
1. A catcher who hit .346 last year in Single A
2. Matt Murton, a guy who just needs a change of scenery and a chance to play
3. A guy who will be their second baseman of the future. Just because the Cubs couldn't figure out what to do with him and they sent him up and down several times doesn't make him a bad player.
4. Gallagher hasn't put up great numbers, but 49 K's in 58 innings shows he has promise.

Beane knows what he's doing. Harden is a sneeze away from returning to the DL

If this was all the A's wanted the yanks should gone it!

Harden's going to be a free agent after the season, and given his level of play they probably figure he'll ask for more than they're willing to pay anyway. Beane must just figure it's worth punting a so-so season in order to build for the future.

Harden will not become a FA until after the 2009 season. The Cubs have the ability to opt out after this year, but Harden is locked up for the next two seasons.

beane usually knows what he's doing...but dude...i dont know about this one...first baron left now hardens gone...this is rough times for the bay

Matt Murton is a career .294 hitter. Gallagher has a lot of talent, but has been juggled up and down by the Cubs. This Cubs regime has been terrible with young players. See Prior, Mark and Wood, Kerry. I'd bet on Billy Beane over Jim Hendry any day.

Dan Haren (Ace) for Dana Eveland (good MLB pitcher), Greg Smith (solid MLB pitcher) and Carlos Gonzalez (STUD PROSPECT playing WELL in the MLB).

Nick Swisher for Ryan Sweeney (solid player thusfar), future regular pitcher, Gio Gonzalez (led Double-A in strikeouts last season), and RHP Fautino De Los Santos (South Atlantic League's Most Outstanding Major League Prospect and was also named to the SAL midseason and postseason All-Star teams in 2007).

Don't doubt Billy Beane.

The Cubs are notorious for bad scouting on pitching... like the first guy said... Harden is literally a sneeze away from returning to the DL.

The only bad trade Beane made was the Tim Hudson trade:
Oakland gets:
OF Charles Thomas
P Juan Cruz
P Dan Meyer

Atlanta gets:
P Tim Hudson

Not Beane's finest there.

Dont forget he got Harn by dealing Mulder to STL who has since broken down.

Wow it would of been nice to see the phillies get someone like Harden or C.C

This was a no-brainer for both squads. The Cubs literally gave up players who had no chance of legit playing time in the next two yrs other than gallagher. Patterson was never getting an infield spot with cedeno, theriot and Derosa available; Murton can only play corner outfield so with Fukudome and Soriano that ain't happenin anytime soon either; catcher we really shouldn't go there since Soto will be the NL allstar starter for the next 5 yrs easy. But these are legitimate major league talent type players so of course Beane can take a fly on them and see if at least one sticks. At Harden's current rate this year Oakland was going to get creamed in arbitration in 2009 so they couldn't let that happen with their budget. Cubs just got a potential ace for 1.5 yrs and a 5 starter or long reliever in Gaudin (which equals gallagher for this season at least). The Cubs staff right now is CRAZY deep, Lilly is the four (he was the two last season for a playoff team!!!!!!) right now with Gaudin, Marquis and Marshall just scrapping it out to be the 5 or relief guys down the stretch. No team has this much starting pitching flexibility.... I may be biased but If I'm a brewer fan I'm sick to my stomach that I gave Laporta for .5 of a season of sabathia (regardless of the ASB we are halfway now) and the cubs gave up no potential starters for 1.5 yrs of Harden. Harden may get hurt but he has never needed surgery, so this is a low risk high reward deal... IMO

dont underestimate the green beane!

Beane should get the benefit of the doubt based on his history. Another point, he mentioned taking a step forward in the next 3 to 5 years. What that means he explained a few weeks back on a local sports talk station. What he means is that he's crafting the A's to be REAL GOOD when they get their new stadium. When will the new stadium be ready? Yep, 3 to 5 years.

sometimes it's hard to see the trees through the forest.

Doesn't matter, the cubs will falter like the usually do.

How can you doubt Billy Beane with his track record? He even got several good seasons out of Barry Zitao before letting him part ways and become god awful. Even with that said, this doesn't look like his finest work.

Of course, knowing Beane, Patterson will become a stud; Gallagher will have a 3.00 ERA playing in Oakland; Murton will drop bombs like Jack Cust; and in three years the C becomes the major league starting C.

Then we all shall reminisce about those wonderful moves Beane made, and how smart he was to trade Harden while he still had value and hadn't become a Mark Prior imitator.

From a Cubs fan:
1. If you play Murton every day, he will hit .290 or better with lots of doubles in that ballpark.
2. Eric Patterson is a Patterson, and therefore can't work the count to save his life. Good athlete, no brain.
3. The guy that may be really good is Gallagher. Potential 12-15 game winner, still young.
4. The catcher, don't know him, although I thought he was a pretty good draft pick.

Did u see those "scrubs" play yesterday? beating our division rivial?
Sean Gallagher's with 7 innings pitched, 2 runs scored and 7 strikeout against one of the best teams in baseball. Oh, and he got the W with the help of fellow ex cub, who also in his first game hit 2 RBIs and had a great catch in left field

Beane knows what he is doing. he has proven it over years and year. don't underestimate the green beane!