You knew the Red Sox wouldn’t be quiet for long. Theo Epstein pulled the trigger on a deal today, picking up starting pitcher Rich Harden from the A’s for first baseman Lars Anderson and a PTBNL. You all know Harden, of course, as the oft-injured stud pitcher who strikes out the world…when he’s healthy. Boston will be his fourth team in three seasons.
Harden’s seaon just got started a couple of weeks ago, and he’s only thrown 29 innings for the A’s this year. In those 29 innings, he’s done pretty much what he does: 30 strikeouts, ten walks, and an all too high total of six homers allowed. Boston could use another starter, with the injuries to Clay Buchholz and Daisuke Matsuzaka leading to Andrew Miller getting seven starts, where he’s put up a 5.45 ERA. That’s not going to get it done in the AL East.
The return for Harden is a prospect who has fallen out of favor with the Red Sox, and no longer has a positional home with the organization. Lars Anderson is a 23 year old first baseman who Boston originally thought of as its first baseman of the future. That went up in smoke when the team traded for Adrian Gonzalez this winter. Anderson is a guy who has traditionally hit for a high average, with decent power and good patience. In this season, his second at AAA, his stat line is .261/.362/.420, and it’s looking like he needs a change of scenery. He’ll get that in Oakland, as first base has been split between Daric Barton (great patience, great defense, no power to speak of) and Conor Jackson (a bench player in every sense of the word).
The A’s get a guy who could be their first baseman for years, Boston gets a solid piece that can definitely contribute when healthy, and the Red Sox don’t give up anything that had any value to them. Win-win trade in my books
In another note, Rafael Furcal has accepted the trade to St Louis, and will be a Cardinal.
