Rich Harden: The Morning After

We've had quite a lot going on the last few days, haven't we?

You wake up in the morning, and something feels a little different about your bed. You roll over and see the sweet, innocent (possibly not innocent) face to the right staring back at you. Rich Harden, your crush for all these weeks, is still there. Sure, you haven't had the chance to see him in action yet, but that'll come in time. The point is that you got him to stay the night. He's on your side now.

When he leaves, things are a little awkward just because they're so different, but it's not a bad thing. And you'd better get used to it too because he's here for the rest of the year. And next season.

Welcome to Rich Harden: The Morning After. Yes, the dream was real. He's here.

Amidst all the confusion and mourning for poor Thunder Matt, a few things slipped through the cracks on this deal that I'd like to address.

1. When I heard that Gaudin was thrown into the trade as well as Harden, I literally did not believe it. Gaudin is really solid and cheap. Why would Billy Beane ever let him go? Most people are playing it off as "Harden Insurance" but I think there's more to it than that. Gaudin started for the A's last year and was happy with his role. When Rich Harden decided to be healthy this year, Gaudin was the odd man out and sent to the bullpen. He was not happy about this turn of events at all. Gaudin actually complained to the media that he's been a starter in the past and he wasn't happy being in the pen. He even complained to other teammates about it all the time. If there's one thing even I know, it's not to piss off Billy Beane. I think that Gaudin's loudmouthing may have had as much to do with his exit from Oakland as anything. Remember a few years ago when Brad Halsey publicly complained about the A's training staff? He was gone. Remember when Milton Bradley started mouthing off last year? Bye bye. True, Hendry may have wanted Harden to come with an insurance policy, but Beane could probably have included someone less valuable than Gaudin and still gotten the deal done.

2. Thunder Matt is now in Oakland...almost. Reports came out late Tuesday night that Murton would start at AAA for the A's. One possible reason is that the A's need just a little more time to figure out what roster moves they want to make to accommodate Murton, whether it's releasing someone like Emil Brown or sending someone else down to the minors.

Another rumor out of Oakland is that Beane isn't done dealing. He could be waiting to trade someone else off his 25 man roster to make room for Murton. Tampa Bay and Seattle also showed a lot of interest in Murton, so there's also the possibility that he'll get moved again. Can Murton find no peace???

Like I said, this has been a pretty hectic week with lots of drinking for us here at the Saloon, and things are only going to get crazier. Our very own Chaim Witz was able to sneak/punch/blowjob his way past security earlier in the week to see The Dark Knight with his own two eyes. Our Thunder Matt Movie Minute tomorrow will be a review of the entire Batgasm by Chaim a whole week earlier than most other websites will have it. Here at the Saloon, we look out for you, the reader. And when we see you coming, we stop hitting on your girlfriend before you notice what we're up to.

But that's not all. We've also got the divine return of Brant's Rant and another installment of the TMS Beer Project coming your way. Yes, Murton is gone, but things have to get back to business here at the Saloon some time. Might as well start now.

Thunder would want it that way.