These days you’re hearing a lot about the Chicago Cubs farm system and how great it is. And it’s true, there’s a ton of talent in the Cubs’ minor league system, but sometimes that talent doesn’t actually reach it’s full potential in the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field. Sometimes it takes a change of scenery for a player to hit his stride.
If there’s one team that’s Chicago Cubs East, it’s the Baltimore Orioles as they have two of the Cubs highest rated prospects: Corey Patterson and Felix Pie in their outfield. They join fellow Cubs castoffs Jake Fox (utility infielder) and Orioles president of baseball Andy MacPhail; president/CEO of the Cubs from September 9, 1994 until Oct. 1, 2006. MacPhail had previously won two World Series championships as general manager of the Minnesota Twins.
Patterson, the third overall pick in the 1998 MLB Draft, was billed a “five tool player” when he was coming up through the Cubs’ organization. Pie (pronounced “pee-ay”), a fellow “five-tooler,” likewise had Andre the Giant sized hype as his co-pilot to the Majors. Neither lived up to the expectations in The Chi, but both are reinventing themselves now in Camden Yards.
By Paul M. Banks
In six years with the Cubs, Patterson hit .252 with a .293 on-base percentage, .414 slugging percentage of .707. During his three seasons in Baltimore his corresponding numbers rattle off- .273, .313, .416, .730, although in about a 1,000 less at bats. Still, it’s clear the change of scenery has been good for him. In addition to his time with Baltimore (2006-07, 2010) and Chicago, Patterson has spent time at both the Major and Minor league level with the Washington Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds.
“I enjoyed my time playing here, I started my professional career here and I had some good times here,” Patterson said about his time in Chicago during with my exclusive with him Tuesday night.
Obvioulsy, his career has seen more rough seas than smooth sailing, as he’s been shuffled between the parent clubs and AAA affiliates at a few of his MLB career stops. But today, he says he’s personally grown from all the uncertainty.
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Written by Paul M. Banks, president and CEO of The Sports Bank.net , a Midwest-focused webzine. He is also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, the Chicago Tribune’s blog network, Walter Football.com, the Washington Times Communities, Yardbarker Network and Fox Sports.com
You can follow him on Twitter @thesportsbank and @bigtenguru