I know it's only been a month and a half, but still...
Eric Patterson

Matt Murton

Sean Gallagher

Yeah I would say this trade has worked out nicely

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

It has been wonderful for the Cubs to have gotten Harden, who makes them so much tougher in a playoff series. Gaudin has been somewhat inconsistent, but is better than Howry anyway. Gallagher may very well still be a very good pitcher for them, for years to come. But in 2008, he was not going to be on any playoff roster, and Hendry is looking brilliant, for getting such an outstanding pitcher, while giving up fairly little.

_________________
Go Cubs!!!!

Steve, I just hope you guys are still chuckling in the playoffs. That's where this deal really needs to pay off for the Cubs.
Right now, Harden has been pretty solid. Hope it continues -- really.
Steve, what do you think of Samardzija? I know his family, and I've met him a few times. I'd love to see him put on a World Series ring at the Cubs home opener in 2009.

_________________
President of Blake Shetlon fan club

I think he has a heck of a lot of poise and confidence, which serves him and the Cubs very well. I feel like he as well as Marmol and Wood, are the 3 guys I want to see coming out of the pen. Of course, its not just his poise and confidence I like. That 96-97 MPH fastball that has hit 99 a couple times, along with a pretty good breaking ball, give me plenty to appreciate. I just wonder if they envision him staying in the bullpen, or moving him to the starting rotation next year, after they dump Marquis?

_________________
Go Cubs!!!!

Harden was low risk, high reward for the Cubs, but a high risk for the A's which is why he got traded for so many career minor leaguers. There are no losers in this trade because he just could not stay healthy for the A's. If he can't pitch in the playoffs because of injury, they would have been no worse off because Sean Gallagher was not your #2. And this was the best trade out there, there was no way in hell they would be able to give strong enough prospects to the Indians for Sabathia.

_________________

Good question. He appears to be pretty comfortable coming out of the bullpen. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing him as starter.

_________________
President of Blake Shetlon fan club

Also depends on what happens with Wood. If the Cubs don't bring back Wood next year, than Marmol probably becomes the closer. You then need a set up man and as we have seen with the Sox without Linebrink, if you don't have that bridge to the closer you are in trouble.

Samardzija would be the logical set up man.

You don't really evaluate a trade just on who we got. We would like to see the players we trade be better. Helps in future trade scenarios.

_________________
"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Its not always an easy judgement. Do you think GMs look at the track record of another GM for trading broken crap? Im thinking about the Sirotka trade. Teams still trade with Kenny even after what he did in that trade.

_________________