The best trades are not zero-sum games, and six months after the Diamondbacks acquired right-handers Dan Haren and Connor Robertson for a six-player package from Oakland last December, it is safe to say both teams would pull the trigger again.
Haren won his seventh game Wednesday, beating the A's in his first career start against them, while outfielder Carlos Gonzalez -- the centerpiece on Oakland's side -- doubled and scored the only A's run in an 11-1 decision, a day after he leaped over the right field fence to take a home run away from Stephen Drew. Two other ex-Diamondbacks -- left-handers Dana Eveland and Greg Smith -- are in the Oakland rotation, and Smith gave up one run in five innings in the series finale Thursday.
"Dan Haren has been everything we would have hoped for," Diamondbacks general manager Josh Byrnes said. "Pitchers who can pitch at the top of a rotation are not easy to trade for, and with his contract and his age. We know we will have him for at least three more years."
The Diamondbacks have spoken in general terms about extending Haren, 27, whose contract will pay him $4 million this season and $5.5 million in 2009 before a team option worth $6.75 million that includes a $250,000 buyout in 2010.
"Oakland got a lot of good players, some of whom are helping them now. No doubt they had a better opportunity in Oakland," Byrnes said.
Eveland, 5-5 with a 3.46 ERA, has been in the A's rotation all season, and his numbers skewed downward recently only because he was struck on the left wrist by a line drive four starts ago but pitched through it.
Smith, 4-5 with a 3.51 ERA, joined the rotation the second week of the season because of injuries and has pitched so well he appears to be a long-term fixture. He leads AL rookies with 64 strikeouts, ranks second with 84 2/3 innings and has limited foes to a .230 batting average, fourth in the league.
DIAMONDBACKS 2, A'S 1: Justin Upton hit his ninth home run -- his first homer and first RBI in June -- to break a tie an eighth-inning tie to give Arizona its third series victory in its last nine. Upton had been 3-for-36 with one extra-base hit in June before doubling and scoring on a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Doug Davis made his second consecutive quality start without a decision, giving up one run in six innings while striking out a season-high eight.
