The Aaron Harang Trade: Something Is Better Than Nothing

Especially when that something comes with some decent financial savings. If you think of this as a continuation of the effort to get anything (and we do mean anything) for Ramon Hernandez, then it has to be considered a success.

Starting pitcher Aaron Harang, DFA’ed upon arrival to the Rockies from the Los Angeles Dodgers, has officially been traded to the Seattle Mariners:

He is a handsome man. Image: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

The Rockies committed to Yorvit Torrealba as Wilin Rosario‘s new back-up/mentor with the understanding that they might let Hernandez walk for nothing. Instead they get enough of a break from the $3.2 million owed Hernandez to pay Jon Garland‘s base salary along with a young pitcher. Not necessarily a super exciting young pitcher, but that is some value nonetheless.

Here is FanGraphs edtior Dave Cameron’s flash assessment of Hensley (via Twitter):

Beyond today we may or may not hear anything from Hensley, but anything that comes in addition to financial relief is a bonus anyway. The Rockies’ front office apparently had a plan in mind when they dished Hernandez to the Dodgers, and even if it’s not splashy, it looks to have worked out fine. It is also comforting to know that they did not even consider keeping Harang and his fly-ball tendencies. It is good to know that this otherwise stubborn group of people will admit that mistake from 2012, tacit though the admission is in this case.