Sports Desk

Baseball

Cubs land pitcher Harden from Athletics

The Chicago Cubs acquired pitcher Rich Harden from the Oakland Athletics in a six-player trade yesterday, a day after the rival Milwaukee Brewers landed C.C. Sabathia.

The Cubs received the right-handed Harden and righty Chad Gaudin for pitcher Sean Gallagher, outfielders Matt Murton and Eric Patterson, and minor leaguer Josh Donaldson.

"We've been working on Mr. Harden for a few weeks now," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said.

Harden, eligible to be a free agent after the 2009 season, is 5-1 with a 2.34 ERA in 13 starts this season. He's scheduled to $4.75 million this season.

Chicago also received Gaudin, who was 5-3 win a 3.59 ERA in 26 games — including six starts. Last season, he was a starter all season and went 11-13 with a 4.42 ERA.

To land the pair, the Cubs had to part with Murton, a former top prospect who has yet to live up to his billing. In his fourth season, Murton has shuttled between Triple-A Iowa and Chicago. He's hitting .250 in 40 at-bats.

Mets RF Ryan Church placed on disabled list again

Unable to fully recover from his second concussion this year, Mets right fielder Ryan Church was placed on the 15-day disabled list again Tuesday before New York's game against the San Francisco Giants.

The move puts Church's season in question and reopens a big hole in the Mets' depleted outfield. Oft-injured left fielder Moises Alou has been sidelined most of the year and is still trying to work his way back from a strained left calf.

Church is out with post-concussion syndrome, the Mets said. He hasn't played since leaving Saturday's game in Philadelphia with dizziness — six days after he came off the DL. He missed most of June following a May 20 concussion, his second in less than three months.

Doctors told Church his latest symptoms could be related to the migraine headaches he has had since he was a teenager. Tests on his brain came back negative, but Church acknowledged he still doesn't feel 100 percent.

A-Rod loses $200,000 in All-Star bonuses

Alex Rodriguez's decision to opt out of his contract last October cost him $200,000 in All-Star bonuses from the Yankees this year.

Rodriguez's old deal, which he agreed to with Texas before the 2001 season, contained provisions that earned him $100,000 bonus for making the AL All-Star team and another $100,000 for receiving the most fan votes in his league. His agent, Scott Boras, informed the Yankees during Game 4 of Boston's World Series sweep that A-Rod was terminating his $252 million, 10-year agreement. Then in December, Rodriguez signed a record $275 million, 10-year contract with New York, a deal that allows him to make up to $305 million if he reaches milestone achievements.

Basketball

Knicks sign first-round pick Danilo Gallinari

The Knicks signed first-round draft pick Danilo Gallinari on Tuesday and expect to have him ready to play in summer league games next week in Las Vegas.

Gallinari was taken sixth overall in June, and Knicks fans at the draft jeered and booed when the big Italian's name was called. According to the NBA's rookie scale, Gallinari is set to average about $2.6 million in salary over the first three years of his career.