So much for suspense. Anyone wondering whether Chicago Cubs baseball would land a top-notch player before the July 31st trade deadline can take a breath.
Make that a deep breath.
Late Tuesday afternoon, the Cubs added a coveted piece to their run at the post-season when they obtained right-handed pitcher Rich Harden as part of a six-player deal with the Oakland Athletics.
It was deal that reportedly had been in the making for the past five or six weeks and comes one day after Central Division rival Milwaukee landed former Cy Young award winner C.C. Sabathia to its roster.
Take that Brewers.
Not only did Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry meet Milwaukee’s call, but he raised the stakes with the acquisition of Harden. To think just a day ago, Hendry played the GM role poker-faced .
”Nothing’s changed,” Hendry said Monday, regarding the Sabathia trade. ”We’re not going to change what we attempt to do based on CC going to the Brewers. It’s been pretty apparent for a while that [Milwaukee] was one of the clubs he could go to.”
By nabbing Harden, the Chicago Cubs get a young, staff ace who’s probably yet to reach his potential. On the downside, the Cubs get a young, staff ace who hasn’t had time to develop his potential, having spent much of the last three seasons on the disabled list for a variety of reasons.
Not counting the 2008 season, Harden has pitched a total of 200 innings from 2005 through 2007. His ailments include everything from a strained oblique (2005) to elbow (2006) and shoulder problems (2007).
On the plus side, when Harden’s healthy he’s very, very good. He has a lifetime record of 36-19 with a 3.42 ERA and a 3:1 strikeout to walk ratio.
“This gives up another weapon,” Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. “He’ll fit in here really nice. Let’s keep him healthy and pitching and go from there.”
If nothing else the trade shows Cubdom management is serious about its goals. Besides a World Series title, isn’t that what fans wanted all along?
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