The Hudson and Mulder Trades - How's That Workin' Out?

I thought I'd take a look at how the players involved in Oakland's two big trades are making out.

Oakland sent Tim Hudson to Atlanta for Juan Cruz, Dan Meyer and Charles Thomas.

Hudson - 6-5 / 14 GS / 3.78 ERA / 85.2 IP / 51 K / 39 BB
Cruz - 0-2 / 0 GS / 8.49 ERA / 23.1 IP / 27 K / 19 BB
Meyer - no appearences in 2005 for Oakland
Thomas - 46 AB / .109 BA / 0 HR / 1 RBI / .255 OBP / .109 SLG

Tim Hudson is not looking like Cy Young but Billy Beane shouldn't be lining up for pats on the back for this move (though to be fair - Meyer could be the key and he wasn't expected to contribute this year).

Oakland sent Mark Mulder to Saint Louis for Dan Haren, Kiko Calero and Daric Barton.

Mulder - 8-5 / 15 GS / 4.75 ERA / 94.2 IP / 58 K / 28 BB
Haren - 5-7 / 15 GS / 3.98 ERA / 95 IP / 73 K / 32 BB
Calero - 2-0 / 0 GS / 6.46 ERA / 15.1 IP / 17 K / 5 BB

Barton hasn't played for Oakland this year.

Dan Haren has been the best pitcher of all the ones mentioned so far and I have to wonder if the Cardinals made a mistake trading the young stud for the name pitcher. Haren was by far the best Cardinal pitcher in last year's World Series.

I have to think that if Oakland had kept Mulder and Hudson then their record wouldn't have been that much better because Haren, Kirk Saarloos and Joe Blanton have about equaled or bettered the production of Mulder and Hudson (who have a combined 8 Win Shares compared to 12 for Haren, Saarloos and Blanton). You also have to factor in the salary saving Oakland managed by trading two of the big three plus consider the fact that another year of Mulder and Hudson would have hampered the development of some of Oakland's young pitchers (and they wouldn't have had Haren).

Overall I think the trades were a good thing for Oakland (with the Mulder trade being better than the Hudson trade). The A's are 10.5 games out in the West but the money they saved and some of the young talent they got from the two big trades may enable them to trade for a big bat.

Don't count the A's out of the race just yet.