Red Sox Magic Number - 56

Yesterday the Red Sox magic number was 57. With the win over the White Sox today the number is 56. Yesterday I thought the Red Sox had a deal in place for Rich Harden. I thought it was a good deal for both sides. Harden has talent but his health was the issue while Lars Anderson is blocked in Boston with Adrian Gonzalez under contract for years. I was actually already rooting for Anderson to have a fresh start with the A's. Then the deal for Harden fell apart.

I am still hoping for some sort of magic number symmetry though. Yesterday the magic number was 57 which also happens to be the number of career victories for Rich Harden. Today the magic number is 56 which happens to be the uniform number given to Aaron Harang when he first came up to the majors with the Oakland A's (he was later traded by Oakland to the Reds for Jose Guillen). I am hoping that the Red Sox attention turns from a current A's player in Harden to a former A's player in Harang.

The Padres say they aren't trying to deal Harang but for the right offer I'm sure he's available. Lars Anderson probably won't be part of a deal with the Padres with former Red Sox prospect Anthony Rizzo blocking the way but a third team could step in to take Anderson and give the Padres something they want (Billy Beane loves getting involved in deals like that and he just showed that he wants Anderson). It would take more than Anderson to land Harang though but that's OK - the Padres are very familiar with the Red Sox minor league system.

As an aside - is it me or does Aaron Harang look like Paul Giamatti if Giammati was to play an evil professional wrestler?

As a second aside - there would be even more symmetry with the Red Sox trading for Harang when you consider that he was first drafted by Boston in the 22nd round of the 1996 draft but chose to go to San Diego State instead. Though come to think of it - the symmetry works if Harang evades the Red Sox grasp to stay in San Diego just like 15-years ago.