TORONTO — Remember Rich Harden?
Hard-throwing right-hander from last decade. Struck out a lot of guys, walked a lot of guys. Got hurt a lot, too.
In July of 2008, the A’s traded Harden — one year away from free agency — to the Cubs for a considerable package of minor leaguers that included a 22-year-old Josh Donaldson, and I recall asking an executive from a third team for his anonymous take on the deal.
“Good job by the A’s,” the executive said. “Remember when you played ‘Hot potato’ as a kid? Harden is a hot potato.