In the interest of full disclosure, I'm a Chicago Cubs fan, but I find the thought that the Rich Harden deal is a colossal Billy Beane rip-off to be absurd. In fact, if I wasn't able to celebrate sports from reality, I'd say I'm offended.

Oakland sent the injury-plagued phenom along with solid spot starter/long reliever Chad Gaudin to the Cubs for outfielders Matt Murton and Eric Patterson, along with pitcher Sean Gallagher and a prospect.

It's a deal to keep up with the red-hot Brewers, who picked C.C. Sabathia from the Indians for prospects, and Beane's reputation precedes him in most cases. This is not one of them. In fact, Beane is not a master trader -- in fact, he's more of a brilliant scout.

Save me your "Moneyball" rhetoric, because the idea that Beane succeeds in every trade is regrettable, and he gets deal-happy in several situations. He whiffed by dealing Aaron Harang, now the Reds ace, for Jose Guillen. He failed with the Tim Hudson to Atlanta for Charles Thomas, Dan Meyer and Juan Cruz trade. He sent Carlos Pena (50 homers last year with Tampa) away for four players who didn't make an impact for Oakland.

Yes, there have been terrific trades. In essence, Beane turned Mark Mulder into Danny Haren, Kiko Calero and Daric Barton before turning Haren into six players, including Dana Eveland and Greg Smith.

So for the massive risk of dealing with Beane, what did the Cubs sacrifice? A fleet-of-foot outfielder, young pitcher and outfielder (Murton) stuck behind guys named Soriano, DeRosa, Fukudome, Edmonds and Reed Johnson. With Harden, their rotation is bonafide -- Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Harden, Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis. Gaudin should be good in long-relief before Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood take over.

Put it this way, should the A's have decided to spend money on Beane's terrific drafting, they'd probably have gone to a series the way the Angels have. First-to-third -- Jason Giambi, Bobby Crosby, Miguel Tejada and Eric Chavez. A rotation with Hudson, Harang, Joe Blanton and Harden.

I'm smarting, I know, but folks who don't follow baseball shouldn't latch onto the Beane ideal every time the A's make a deal. I'm going to go paint my house now.

Email: nick@wgr550.com