Cubs get Gorzelanny and Grabow from Pirates

Another good trade in a series of good trades lately for the Pirates (grabbing Jeff Clement, and Tim Alderson among others for two good, but not great middle infielders yesterday) as the Pirates trade the Cubs Tom Gorzelanny and John Grabow for Kevin Hart, Jose Ascanio and Josh Harrison (who?).

Gorzelanny is garbage. Now if I were to transport in time back to 2007 when he was cruising along for my fantasy team with a 3.10 era and 1.24 whip in the first half I might be singing a different tune. In the second half of that year he had a 5.01 era with a 1.62 whip (I had traded him at this point, boo ya) and then proceeded to post a 6.66 era with a 1.80 whip in 105 innings last year (including getting shalacked by the Cubs more than a couple times).

Maybe Gorzelanny can find some of that first half 07 magic, but I doubt it. On the other hand, I'm watching Kevin Hart's start before today's with my pal Nate, and commenting on how in the hell is Kevin Hart throwing 95 mph all of a sudden? He developed a nice cutter in 2007 and had incorporated a sinker into the mix recently, looking like a much more capable pitcher than Mr. "I top out at 86" Tom Gorzelanny.

Oh, but wait the Cubs also landed John Grabow, he of the career 1.45 whip and sporting a 1.50 whip currently. Oh but he's left handed! Marshall has been doing the job just fine as the lefty out of the pen. This trade stinks of, "oh we want to make a trade too!!"

Now Jose Ascanio is a dime-a-dozen young relief pitcher but this Josh Harrsion (not going to lie, I'd never heard of him until today) looks pretty good. His line at Single-A Perioa before being promoted, .337/.377/.479/.856 with 4 hr and 18 sb in 303 at bats.

Nice, trade away a developing, and now hard throwing Kevin Hart and a budding power/speed talent you just drafted for Pittsburgh's garbage. This may not be "The Revenge of Bobby Hill for Aramis Ramirez" but it sure doesn't look like a good trade.