A's Don't Get Enough for Harden and Gaudin

Early reactions to the Rich Harden trade indicate that this move does not sit well with A's fans. 

My own reaction is that trading Rich Harden was inevitable.  The fact that he has put in a good first half for Oakland was positive because it boosted his trade value which at the beginning of the season was low due to his frequent injuries history. 

When Rich went down for a month after his hot start against the Red Sox in Japan it looked like moving Harden before the trade deadline would bring next to nothing if it happened at all.  Harden has gone 4-1 since his return from the DL though, giving Billy Beane the opportunity to make a deal.

But A's fans see right through this quote from Cub's GM Jim Hendry.  "You’re not getting a guy like this without it hurting a little bit,” Hendry said.  As far as A's fans are concerned the Cubs made this trade without hurting enough.  And while moving Harden has been inevitable since the start of the season, throwing in Chad Gaudin for next to nothing in return has got A's fans up in arms.

When appraising the values of the players involved in the trade there seems to be no way that the A's got more than they gave.  Even given Harden's injury history his value is at least equal to Murton and Gallagher together, or Murton, Patterson and Donaldson together. 

That would mean that the A's gave up Gaudin for Gallagher straight up or Gaudin for Patterson and Donaldson.  Either way the A's came out on the short end by including Gaudin with these players.

I am 100% sure that Billy Beane is not done dealing this year and expect he will package talent from this Cubs trade with talent from the Haren and Swisher trades he made this Spring. 

While the A's have benefitted from good play from the young players acquired in those earlier trades A's fans continue to wonder "what if" as Dan Haren makes his way to the All-Star Game and Nick Swisher has been solid if not spectacular for the first place White Sox. 

But judging by A's fans reactions there is not much confidence that Billy Beane will get more than he gives in his next move, as it seems he gave up too much in this one.