Our Long National Nightmare Is Over
Submitted by Christian Ruzich on Mon, 01/09/2006 - 11:36am
The Cubs have traded Corey Patterson to the Orioles for two minor leaguers. ESPN Radio reports that the players are shortstop Nate Spears and lefthanded pitcher Carlos Perez.
We'll gather as much info on these guys as we can find and post it here.
* Spears is 21 years old. He was a 5th round pick in the 2003 draft. At High A Frederick last year he hit 294/349/429.
From the Orioles Hangout prospect list, where Spears is ranked #14:
20-year old who hits .294 with 42 extra base hits in the Carolina League is something, but what is the real question. Only average defensively and not a speedster on the bases. His 36-82 BB-K ratio is a bit of concern as well. A little guy who doesn't have a projectable frame. If he turns those doubles into homers at a higher level he may become a better prospect, but right now it's hard to project him as more than a lower Division second baseman. He's a baseball rat who continues to beat the odds, so don't bet against him.* Perez is 24 years old. He was signed as a 17-year-old out of the Dominican in 1999 and has started throughout his time in the minors, which means he has logged nearly 400 professional innings. Lat year at Delmarva (A) he went 11-8, 4.28. In 151 1/3 innings he struck out 146 (8.7 K/9) and walked 61 (3.6 BB/9). He's #36 at Orioles Hangout:
Started off the year like gangbusters. Went 4-4 with a decent 3.08 ERA with 72 strikeouts and 26 walks in 70 innings pitched through his first 13 starts. Lost his command a bit after that stretch and even worse, started to get hit like Mike Timlin in a save situation. Ended up with career highs in just about every category but allowed Sally League batters to hit .280 off him. With less then overwhelming stuff, and at 23-years old, Perez will need to prove more next year at Frederick.At this point I would have been happy with a bag of used baseballs and a cheeseburger (As long as it was from In N' Out) in exchange for Patterson. Yes, he had five tools, but he misplaced his toolbox in 2003 and even a trip to Iowa last year couldn't help him find it. David Appleman at Hardball Times put into graphic terms what we all knew, which was that Patterson had a really bad year last year. Can he bounce back? Maybe. But it's not like he's a green youngster who is still learning how to play baseball. He's 26 years old, an age at which most players have figured out what works for them and what doesn't. Even more damning is the fact that he has over 2,300 major league plate appearances. That's nearly four full seasons, and it's more than (for example) Mark Bellhorn, Luis Rivas or Robert Fick. Again, he's not someone who has spent only a little bit of time in the majors and it still feeling his way. He's a guy who came up, got established, had some success, and has now settled into a specific style of play that leads to occasional power, guesswork swings, and very low on-base percentage. I didn't want the Cubs to even tender Patterson, so the fact that they're going to not only avoid paying him the millions of dollars he'd get in arbitration (or a new contract), but also get someone (anyone) in exchange for him, makes me happy. Vaya con Dios, Coreylito. May you rediscover the joy of occasionally taking a pitch. If you end up turning things around in Baltimore, I'll be in the front row cheering for you, but I haven't bought any tickets to Camden Yards yet. PS - Bonus points to whoever remembers the last time I used this headline (no peeking in the archives).
Comments
I'll just post it over
If it does turn out to be
I'm going to go with the
From ESPN: The Baltimore
ESPN says the guys are Nate
Baltimore radio is reporting
Someone on BCB says they
last headline i would guess
Yes, the AP logs are also
On the headline...Sosa?
My headline guess is the
Sosa seems too recent, but
I did, in fact, use it after
I don't know when you last
This is sickening. They gave
actually I rescind my
That's a good one Rob. I
That is the best trade they
With my entry in, I
the cubs gave 3.5m of corey
This was not a trade, this
*hint to question - He was
We were going to build a
its not fair or feasable to
two words: Lou Brock
"An unmitigated disaster and
headline used at the end of
This was not a trade, this
"We were going to build a
"two words: Lou Brock" Two
Yeah, true CubsWin. But
Hey, if Jim Hendry can
Hey, if Jim Hendry can
I thought it was the DFAing
Better this than Patterson
"I'd have rather they traded
BTW, the last time I used
The harbinger of things to
Of course it was a salary
The DFA-ing of Lenny Harris,
Gee Ruz, just guessing, but
Someone who really thinks
So that's what....three Cub
What the HELL do we need a
Ruz, et. al.: Thank you for
well if you're a middle
TBone What a pleasnt
Aren’t these the same guys
Did anyone check to see if
Correction, Crouthers is a
The rankings for Spears and
I assume neither of these
TBone "What a pleasnt
actually, the equally
Even if you think there was
TBONE - Two More Words (X3):
"Even if you think there was
When I wasexcited about
I would guess that the
patterson the player is
and I am eating my
RUZ made the line about the
This spears kid could be ok,
Rob I always thought that
Hmmm. Reminds me of trading
received
exactly what I'm saying
yeah, corey's arm isnt
I think my 7 month year old
Yet another sign of the
Patterson sealed his fate by
I think this is a great move
anyone wanna go fishing? i
This trade is STUPID. Why
stupid would be nontendering
"This trade is STUPID. Why
This just boggles my mind.
That's not bait... Just an
MR. OBP A delusional quote
People are all pissed off we
to answer your question
f'real..who's this tejada
Rafael Furcal will undergo
amusingly I was doing that
Cheer up, Charlie. Don't go
Ruz, thanks for injecting a
Chad: The deal was made to
Furcal is about to undergo
Cubster, I thought you were
And to all the people who
H. Vaughn, 'Patterson's
Will someone PLEASE confirm
TBone Maybe Hendry is
I don't care for the move.
i keep hearing a;fonso
I doubt that any money is
he is right
Before anyone gets worked up
Cubswin, There's nothing
any1 heard about alfonso
If Patterson is really this
Adam Dunn is not the
1) good trade. frankly, free
Green Lantern "4) please
Well the O's have a very
Why didn't we trade
#102, can't pass this one
from BA: Compiled by Aaron
Spears is a 50/50 guy to
Korey, don't let the door
that's the thing about
Here's more than K-Pat was
Baggie to Join his Orthopod
Hey, I think your going to
OUR NATIONAL NIGHTMARE WILL
On a side note sort of, does
The Trib will never sell the
Dusty's not the only idiot
THe BA guys are sort of up
post 114 "Hey, I think your
Southside Irish, the White
Re: Badguy at #116: Last
All the major papers are
i think its rediculous that
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