Forty-eight hours ago, the Oakland Athletics had no serious action on Rich Harden, no serious suitors, no reason to think they would move the talented pitcher who seems to have spent most of his major league career on the disabled list. An Oakland official spoke with confidence that he didn't think Harden would be traded. And 48 hours ago, the Cubs were not deep into talks on any pitcher.
But the Cubs and Athletics quickly pulled together a six-player trade, with the Athletics moving Harden the way a broker would move a volatile stock before its next decline, and the Cubs swapping some of their few majors-ready prospects for a pitcher capable of being exceptional on his best days -- but on the disabled list most days in recent seasons.
For the Cubs, the trade is a calculated gamble because Harden is nothing less than
Mark Prior Redux: He can be dominating, and he can be maddening. He could be the difference between success and heartbreak if he's healthy, and if he's injured, he could be the difference between success and heartbreak.
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Buster Olney
