Dan Haren

In a much publicized battle of the aces, Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Dan Haren matched Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez pitch for pitch. Neither backed down.

After the two aces hit the showers, Seattle capitalized, scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat the Angels, 3-1.

Now that the Los Angeles Angels have snapped a three-game losing streak at the hands of the Seattle Mariners last night, they'll look to capture their first series win since mid-August tonight at Safeco Fiel

Lost in the enshrinement festivities at Cooperstown and A-Rod's "historic" pursuit of 600 homers was Anaheim's acquisition of all-star Dan Haren. Despite his so-so performance thus far in 2010, Haren was considered the finest asset on the MLB trade market.

Well, Dan Haren was finally traded, but not to the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, or St. Louis Cardinals—three teams that really want another top hurler.

Haren was traded to the Los Angeles Angels for left-handed, back-end starter Joe Saunders and three pitching prospects. None of these returning pitchers were top-10 prospects in the Angels organization.

Kudos to Angels GM Tony Reagins for swooping in late and pulling off this coup.

Several factors indicate that acting Arizona GM Jerry DiPoto jumped the gun and reached on this deal.

Over the past week, the prospect of the Arizona Diamondbacks trading staff ace Dan Haren went from being highly unlikely to becoming imminent. A good indication of the likelihood of a trade occurred from a rather unconventional source.

On Sunday, the Angels acquired right-handed pitcher Dan Haren from the Arizona
Diamondbacks in exchange for Joe Saunders, minor league pitchers Patrick Corbin, Rafael Rodriguez, and a player to be named later (apparently left-handed pitcher Tyler Skaggs).

In this emotional sound clip, Joe Saunders speaks with Chris Myers after the Angels' announcement that he had been traded, along with three others, to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Dan Haren.

Saunders pitched for six seasons for the Angels, compiling a 54-32 record with a 4.29 ERA.

With a week to go before the trading deadline, the Angels have acquired Dan Haren of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who has been a big name on the trading circuit. The Angels gave up three players to get Haren: pitchers Joe Saunders, Patrick Corbin, Rafael Rodriguez, and a player to be named later.

The Los Angels Angels made a huge splash, answering the Texas Rangers acquisition of Cliff Lee by trading Joe Saunders, Patrick Corbin, Rafael Rodriguez, and a player to be named later to the Arizona Diamondbacks in return for Dan Haren, according to Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News via Twitter.

The Los Angeles Angels aren't ready to concede the American League West to the Texas Rangers just yet. 

And Sunday, the organization made an aggressive move to help bolster its chances. 

Los Angeles will send LHP Joe Saunders, LHP Patrick Corbin, RHP Rafael Rodriguez and player to be named later to Arizona in exchange for All-Star RHP Dan Haren. 

According to The Arizona Republic Diamondbacks' beat writer Nick Piecoro, the player to be named later will be LHP Tyler Skaggs (the No. 40 overall pick in the 2009 Amateur Draft).