So the Cubs have heightened the arms race in the NL Central by acquiring Rich Harden in a long-rumored deal with the A's today. I think this is actually worse news than the C.C. deal because here the Cubs are shoring-up probably their worst area - their starting rotation. Now the A's have been trying to deal the talented Harden for a while now, and with good reason: he's spent about as much time on the DL as he has actually playing during his major league career. In other words, this may not be that big a deal. IF he stays healthy, however, it's going to make the Cubs the huge favorites in the NL. A big if for sure, but it raises some questions for the Cards. They could, as I suggested yesterday, just wait for pitchers to get healthy that are already on their roster. Adding Carpenter and Wainwright among others at the end of July or August is better than trading for anyone on left of the market and they don't have to give up anything to do it. This is the tact I believe they will take. Afterall, no one was expecting much from this team to begin with this year and felt that next year would be when they might be good again. If that was the team's strategy, then the events of the last couple of days are unlikely to change that. Then again there is the thought that when you have the chance to win, you take it. The Brewers and Cubs are certainly acting along those lines. They are young teams like the Cardinals as well, so they have given up some prospects for the future to win now. Should the Cardinals follow suit? Can they even if they wanted to? I'm not sure, but it will interesting to see what they do over the next month.
-Trey
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