No sooner do I spend a couple hours away from the computer then the Oakland A's and Chicago Cubs make a blockbuster trade just a notch below that made by the Milwaukee Brewers and Cleveland Indians incolving C.C. Sabathia.

Here is what the A's and Cubs did while I played wiffle ball with the kids.

Chicago Cubs get:
RHP Rich Harden, $7MM club option for '09
RHP Chad Gaudin, 2nd year arbitration

Oakland A's get:
RHP Sean Gallagher, 0-1 year
OF Matt Murton, 2-3 year
2B/OF Eric Patterson, 0-1 year
C Josh Donaldson, Low A

While I think the A's did very well to get three major-league ready players who are under their control for years, I can't help thinking that this offer is not exactly selling Harden as if one believes he isn't moments from getting hurt.  Why else add Chad Gaudin?

According to Baseball America's Prospect Handbook 2008, the A's landed the 5th, 7th and 12th rated prospects in Gallagher, Donaldson and Patterson.   The prospect most fans will be unfamilar with is Josh Donaldson, a supplemental 1st round pick in the 2007 draft out of Auburn University.

From BA:

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Peter Gammons of ESPN.com reports the Chicago Cubs are keeping in touch with the Cleveland Indians about the availability of LHP C.C. Sabathia but doubt they have the pieces to get C.C.  He also reports the Cubs have interest in Rich Harden of Oakland, Randy Wolf in San Diego and A.J. Burnett of Toronto.  Mr. Gammons gets a Cubs official to say, "It may come down to July 28, but we almost certainly will do something. But we really don't want to give up Gallagher at this point."

Some other Sabathia rumblings reported by Peter Gammons:
New York Yankees:  There but GM Brian Cashman doesn't want to trade for him.
Philadelphia Phillies:  Do not over look them.  I agree.  A package of lesser-known prospects like OF Greg Golson and 2B Adrian Cardenas are more attractive than the public knowledge about them indicates.
Tampa Bay Rays: There but can't see how they can sign him.  More focused on a right-handed bat.

Despite a first place standings, Gammons reports the Chicago White Sox will sit out the trade market barring an injury to their starting pitchers.  Given how rare it is for there to be no injuries in any team's rotation, I take this with a grain of salt.  The bigger factor keeping the White Sox out of the trade market would be there kiddie pool shallow minor league system.

Last week,  I quipped that MLB trading season won't really open until the Yankees are being mentioned in every rumor and ESPN's Peter Gammons begins mentioning Oakland A's players available for trade.  The Yankees' ace, Chien-Ming Wang, left Sunday's game against the Houston Astros with foot pain, and the New York papers are filled with speculation that he suffered a Lisfranc injury and will miss the rest of the season.  This naturally leads to C.C. Sabathia.  One condition has been met.

Sunday night, Peter Gammons' latest column was published at ESPN.com.  In it, he surveys the trade landscape in a build-up towards the most intriguing pitching option available - Rich Harden of the Oakland A's.  The money quote?

A call came in Sunday morning that said, "Billy Beane has the single most important piece to trade to win the World Series. But the question is, how many songs do you let Slowhand play before a string breaks."

Hello, Rich Harden. Beane is right -- Harden is the most dominant pitcher in the American League right now.

Beane is right?  Did Mr. Gammons let slip that the Oakland general manager was that Sunday morning caller - and that he speaks in the third person about himself?  Either way, both condition have now been triggered, and the official start of the trading season has begun!

Other than patting myself on the back, Mr.  Gammons does shed some additional light on trade fronts other than Oakland.   In Cleveland, he reports that Cleveland Indians' GM Mark Shapiro has made it clear that he'd rather move sooner than later.  This would help maximize the return he could get for Sabathia by giving the acquiring team and additional month's worth of starts.

Oakland A's "ace" Rich Harden threw seven excellent innings.  With a 2.91 ERA and 28 Ks in 21.2 innings, there is little reason to doubt Harden still has the skill he's shown when healthy over the past four seasons.  The same question always must be answered, though.  How many innings will he pitch?

In three games since returning from his no-appearances demotion to the bullpen, Barry Zito has allowed just seven earned runs in 16 innings of work.  Is there anyone in the Giants' organization who wouldn't lock-in that same production over the remaining 5.75 years of his contract?

Raise your hand if you thought Baltimore Orioles' closer George Sherrilll would have 17 saves before Memorial Day?  Put down your hands, you lying....

For those looking to time save opportunities, BJ Ryan has pitched just one game since his last day-off.  However, his five-saves-and-counting back-up, Scott Downs, worked in two innings yesterday.  Excpect both to be used in their traditional roles today given the Jays' off-day on Monday.

Just as the Indians' looked like their bullpen stabilized in Joe Borowski's absence, Mashide Kobayashi implodes and blows a 2-1 lead in the 9th.  He hit a batter and allowed two hits, the final one being a three-run HR to Adam Dunn.  Joe Borowksi: Bullpen Stabilizer!