Can't judge a trade...

[Isaiah4110]

...4 months after it was made.

Haha, perfect example is right in front of our noses:

Rich Harden
July 8, 2008: Traded by the Oakland Athletics with Chad Gaudin to the Chicago Cubs for Josh Donaldson, Sean Gallagher, Matt Murton and Eric Patterson.

4 months later Harden had finished out the season with the Cubs, starting 12 healthy games with a 5-1 record, 1.77 ERA and .97 WHIP in 71 IP with 89 Ks. Gallagher, Murton and Patterson all looked like failures and Josh Donaldson was a 22 year old catcher playing in High A ball. He had at least had a decent half year for the Ports, but his terrible first half in Peoria made the year as a whole look very mediocre. Even though Chad Gaudin had been a complete non-factor for the Cubs, they looked like the hands down winners of this deal.

Fast forward 5 more years and look where we are now. Harden never had an ERA below 4 after 2008 and is no where to be found. Gallagher, Murton and Patterson are all long gone. Gaudin did nothing for the Cubs. And that aging (by High A ball standards) catcher in now arguably one of the top 5 third basemen in the AL and looking like he could very well be a perennial MVP candidate. Donaldson FTW?


Just thought it would be fun to remind everyone where he came from.

 

[WhiteMamba]

But Mariner fans would tell you it is just something in the water down there....

 

[navamind]

I thought Patterson would have been a useful utility player. He was painful to watch with the Sox, especially when he ruined Lester's perfect game in the 6th inning against the Mariners in 2010. Lester was absolutely dominating the Mariners prior to that.