fringe

eric chavez

i agree, this is a little too much.

a bit frustrating for the fans and players i think. they were prepared for a rebuilding year but instead are in contention. then the mad scientist says 'no, formula is not right yet' i don't know harden's contract situation but i wouldve kept this team intact.

says the fan of the team of kabbalah worshippers and thong models.

ok i withdraw that part - still not an all star year.

CHICAGO -- 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. Harden, 26, is 36-19 with a 3.42 ERA (206 ER/541.2 IP) in 97 appearances (89 starts) in all or part of the last six seasons with Oakland. He has 523 strikeouts in 541.2 innings pitched, an average of 8.7 strikeouts per nine innings, and has limited opponents to a .224 batting average. He pitched in the 2003 and 2006 postseasons. The righthander is 5-1 with a 2.34 ERA (20 ER/77.0 IP) in 13 starts this season with Oakland, fanning 92 batters in 77.0 innings, an average of 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings. His 2.34 ERA would rank second in the majors behind only Oakland's Justin Duchscherer (1.98), but he is just shy of the necessary innings to qualify. Harden's .206 batting average against would rank third in the majors. He has 92 strikeouts and 31 walks this season, one strikeout shy of a three-to-one strikeout-to-walk ratio. Harden has allowed only five home runs in 77.0 innings. Among pitchers with at least 12 starts this season, Harden leads the majors with 10.75 strikeouts per nine innings (San Francisco's Tim Lincecum is next at 9.49) and he ranks 12th with 10.40 baserunners allowed per nine innings. Harden spent one month this season on the disabled list (April 10-May 11) with a strained right shoulder and has averaged six innings per start since returning, four times pitching into the seventh inning or beyond. He has turned in a quality start in seven of his last 10 outings, posting a 2.02 ERA (14 ER/62.1 IP) and a .190 batting average against in that span starting May 17. Overall, he has allowed two earned runs or less in 10 of his 13 starts. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Harden went 3-0 with a 0.68 ERA (2 ER/26.2 IP) in four starts vs. the National League during interleague play this season, limiting those foes to a .132 batting average. In his career, Harden is 5-1 with a 1.81 ERA (11 ER.54.2 IP) in 10 interleague appearances, nine as a starter. A native of Victoria, British Columbia, Harden is 10-3 with a 2.95 ERA (49 ER/149.1 IP) during the last three seasons, limiting opponents to a .201 batting average, though five stints on the disabled list have kept him to 29 appearances, 26 as a starter. His 2.95 ERA and .201 batting average against would lead all big league starters if he had accumulated the necessary innings during the last three seasons to qualify for league-leader rankings. In his career, he is 18-3 with a 1.45 ERA (35 ER/217.1 IP) when pitching at least seven innings (29 starts). Gaudin, 25, is 5-3 with a 3.59 ERA (25 ER/62.2 IP) in 26 appearances (six starts) with Oakland this season, including a 3.38 ERA (10 ER/26.2 IP) in his 20 relief appearances. He has not allowed an earned run in 15 of his 20 relief outings and has pitched 1.0 inning or more in 17 of those appearances. The 5-foor-10, 185 pound Gaudin joins the Cubs having turned in a 1.50 ERA (1 ER/6.0 IP) in his last seven relief outings beginning June 21. The New Orleans native has pitched all or part of the last six seasons in the big leagues with Tampa Bay (2003-04), Toronto (2005) and Oakland (2006-08), going 24-23 with two saves and a 4.33 ERA (25 203 ER/421.2 IP). He returned to the bullpen this season after making 34 starts with Oakland last season. Gaudin is 8-5 with two saves and a 3.63 ERA (59 ER/146.1 IP) in 111 relief appearances in his career. Gallagher, 22, is 3-4 with a 4.45 ERA (29 ER/58.2 IP) in 12 appearances (10 starts) with the Cubs this season. He has split the last two seasons between the Cubs and Triple-A Iowa. Gallagher was originally selected by the Cubs in the fifth round of the 2006 Draft. Murton, 26, has split the 2008 season between the Cubs and Triple-A, batting .250 (10-for-40) with two doubles and six RBI in 19 games for Chicago this season. He has spent all or part of the last four seasons in the majors, hitting .294 (256-for-870) with 28 home runs and 104 RBI in 308 big league games. He was acquired by the Cubs on July 31, 2004 from the Boston Red Sox as part of a four-team, six-player trade. Patterson, 25, has also split the season between the Cubs and Triple-A and hit .237 (9-for-38) during his three stints in the big leagues this season. He was originally selected by the Cubs in the eighth round of the 2004 Draft. Donaldson, 22, batted .217 (51-for-235) with six home runs and 23 RBI in 63 games for Single-A Peoria this season. He was selected by the Cubs in the second round of the 2007 Draft.

if they cut him next year, he gets nothing. you can't look at NFL contracts as you would the real world. best practice would be to negotiate a new contract sometime this season, preferably before the season.

costco sized RB

yes, he's definitely what jim leyland would describe as a 'half pack' referring to the amount of cigarettes consumed in the inning. only 2 benitez (blown saves) this year though.

i hate that guy, victorino. he's too good

i don't see them overtaking the cubbies, who will probably make a few moves on their own. as for CC, he's just a rental. definitely going to test the FA markets at year end- probably go to the west coast.

looks like the brewers assured themselves a wildcard with that move.

Some idiot on sports radio was complaining because brian wilson got in with a 4.37 era. if you think era is an important factor for a closer, you don't know much about baseball.

There's not much argument for a .217 catcher starting the all star game, no matter how well he controls his pitching staff- which in this case is made up of no one who really needs control.

plus he ratted out roger mcdowell as the secret spitter.

he wanted more years, i don't blame him

i can't say i'm surprised at this.

btw, didn't we used ti have an NBA section?

Mixed feelings about this. Baron Davis did a lot to restore Warriors basketball. Along with Nellie and Mullie, he was the engine that fueled the turnaround. On the other hand, he has a big ego, and he's definitely more SoCal with his entourage and movie career. Would have been good to see him in Oakland for 1 more year and would have been good to see Jessica Alba courtside for one more year. So Long, Boom Dizzle.

I think Kawika was good- but possibly starting to lose a step. rather have a guy coming up then an expensive guy on decline.

yes- its tough to tell until you start playing. they thought Pac Bell Park was going to be a lefty paradise with balls soaring into the water on a regular basis- didn't happen- can't go wrong with get on base hitters and speed though.

I'm not a Mets fan but I would take into consideration how the new ballpark is supposed to play. Is it a pitchers park? a hitters park? where is the live fields supposed to be? Don't load up on lefty power if the right field porch is not friendly, for instance.

I guess you have to give Rags some credit for having 3 pitchers with 100 strikeouts at the break.

al davis thought of it- at least i think he was first to charge it.