Just for Sport

A lot has been made over the last couple of days about the blockbuster trades that the Cubs and the Brewers made.  In case you haven’t been near a television in the last 24 hours, the Brewers acquired CC Sabathia, and the Cubs got Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin.  It seems only natural to compare the two trades since they happened so close together and since both teams are in the NL Central.  So let’s do that, starting with the Brewers.  Stats listed are career stats.

The Brewers got:

CC Sabathia
107-71(.601), 3.82 ERA, 1.266 WHIP, 7.45 K/9
Postseason: 1-2, 7.17 ERA
2007 Cy Young Award Winner
27 years old (turns 28 this month)
Free Agent in 2008 offseason

The Brewers gave up:

Matt LaPorta
AA - 82 Games, .291 BA, .404 OBP, 20 HR, 66 RBI
23 years old
Former #7 overall pick 

Robert Bryson
A - 3-2 (.600), 5 SV, 4.25 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 11.95 K/9
20 years old 

Taylor Green
A+ - 78 Games, .297 BA, .381 OBP, 10 HR, 50 RBI
21 years old 

Player to be named later (likely Zach Jackson)

The Cubs got:

Rich Harden
36-19(.655), 3.42 ERA, 1.244 WHIP, 8.69 K/9
Postseason: 0-2, 6.43 ERA
26 years old 

Chad Gaudin
24-23(.511), 2 SV, 4.33 ERA, 1.525 WHIP, 6.38 K/9
Postseason: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
25 years old 

The Cubs gave up:

Sean Gallagher
3-4(.429), 5.28 ERA, 1.514 WHIP,  6.63 K/9
22 years old 

Matt Murton
308 Games, .294 BA, .362 OBP, 28 HR, 104 RBI
26 years old (turns 27 in October) 

Eric Patterson
20 Games, .239 BA, .308 OBP, 1 HR, 7 RBI
25 years old 

Josh Donaldson
A - 61 Games, .223 BA, .282 OBP, 6 HR, 23 RBI
22 years old 

It seems as if the Brewers have mortgaged their future to make this one playoff run.  Manny LaPorta is considered one of the best prospects in the minors right now, and judging by the statistics, it looks as though Bryson (look at the K rate) and Green have tremendous upside.  Both Sabathia and Ben Sheets will be gone next year, and there will be little help coming from their farm system.  They had better make the playoffs this year if this trade is to be deemed a success.  If they do happen to make it, they will be formidable in a short series.  

On the other hand, the Cubs got a slightly better pitcher.  Sabathia has the better name recognition as a Cy Young winner (plus he’s been around longer), but Harden has the better statistics.  He is an injury risk, but if he stays healthy, this trade is a steal.  The Cubs not only got Harden to strengthen their rotation, which now includes Harden, Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Ted Lilly, and Rich Hill/Jason Marquis.  In addition, they got a solid reliever that will be able to contribute on a daily basis.  In exchange the only real prospect of value they gave up is Sean Gallagher, who has a bright future and has shown flashes of brilliance this year.  Despite lots of hand-wringing by columnists and talking heads, Murton in fact did get his chance in the majors, and largely failed to produce.  Billy Beane was surely attracted to his OBP, but his run production numbers are sub-par.  He will likely contribute to a nominal degree in Oakland, but he will not be missed in Chicago.  Jim Hendry was probably happy to get rid of Patterson, who is overrated because of his brother.  Only once have I ever seen a player tag at first and take second on a routine fly ball to left field, and that one time Patterson was the left fielder.  Josh Donaldson may make a serviceable catcher, but was unlikely to see time in the foreseeable future with Geovany Soto at the dish for the big club.

In short, the Cubs win.  They got the better of the two deals, though I will be afraid of the Brewers if they manage to nab a Wild Card spot.  As for the other two aces on the respective clubs, Zambrano was dominant today, while Sheets was average.  Chalk another win up to the Cubbies.