I can't beleive how many Cub fans are upset about trading Patterson. I thought today's Tribune column by Phil Rogers comparing Patterson to Obidee McDowell was great except for the fact that McDowell's early career was much better than CPats. Still nobody has put forth a valid reason to keep Patterson. Keep Patterson as a role or becnch player...PLease. He can't concentrate when he is a starter? Defense? Not good at all..except making diving catches on routine balls that Edmonds catches on the fly. Again I say good riddance of one of the cancers that has plagued the Cubs attitude and clubhouse. I say getting anything in return for Patterson and not having to cut him in March because he can't beat out a 40-year old Marquis Grissom is worthy of recognition as one of Hendry's better off-season moves..

yep, you are completely right, Murton was thrown in with the nomar trade, my mistake. And yes, Spears and Perez were definitely not selected first round. However, when he was with the Orioles organization last year they actually thought he might be able to contribute in 2006 and compared him to a David Eckstein type that could play SS or 2nd base and be well suited for the No. 2 spot offensively. If their scouts are correct..... And I do think we can infer a lot about Patterson's attitude, (even though we "weren't in the locker room"). Winter Ball is just a small example of his unwillingness to improve for the Cubs. He just finished a horrendous season where his offensive numbers were shameful. If I wanted to prove I was still a quality player and cared about the organization at all, I would be the first one on the bus to Winter Ball to show my committment and skills.

Trevor, Murton was a former first round pick and a much higher rated prospect than Perez or Spears. I think one of the problems this offseason is that Hendry is gun shy when it comes to dealing top prospects like Pie after he dealt Dontrelle Willis a few years ago. He's constantly looking for the something for nothing deal (e.g. The A-Ram and D-Lee deals), but sometimes you need to deal top prospects to get first tier players. If I could get Zito or another top player, I'd deal Pie.

My name is Jim Hendry...I can still go after Alfonso Soriano..yet I am not...--;

Hey Trevor, I just wanted to mention that I believe we got Murton thrown in with the Nomar deal.

I agree this trade is a waste of Hendry's time.

We have Neifi Perez, a glorified backup, as our starting 2B.

We have Rusch and Williams as starting pitchers, with an aging Maddux as our #3 starter. So we basically have 2 good starters and the rest is a gamble on mediocre talent and a legend who is nearing the end.

Hendry would have done better to spend all his time looking at Patterson as a chip to throw in on a quality 2B and/or a starting pitcher. We don't need no-name prospects...we aren't Pittsburgh...we are Chicago, and have megabucks to spend.

Time we started spending, and building for now...not hoarding prospects for the future!

I dont really agree with people who say Corey was a bad apple (attitude wise) none of us were in the locker room, or involved in conversations with him, so not sure how we can assume it. Was he stubburn? Oh yah, trying to be a home run #3 hitter instead of being a productive leadoff man is selfish. However just because he didnt play winter ball doesnt mean he is not a team player. I know if i was making millions of dollars and had the option of taking a few months off, or going to some crappy country to play baseball for nothing......i would be working out on my own that is for sure. Anyways, lets hope these prospect pan out in the future! And start praying that Cendeno, Murton, and Pie all turn out to be what Hendry and the Cubs brass are trying to make them out to be.

While I think Patterson has the potential to become a good player elsewhere, he was clearly done with the Cubs. His attitude was horrible, and he clearly did not want to help the Cubs out this year in any capacity (as evidenced by his refusal to play Winter Ball). And while there is no guarentee that these low level prospects will pan out, look at last year when Matt Murton was thrown in with Hairston for Sammy Sosa. Murton will be the starting Left fielder this year and has a promising future. Cross your fingers that this ends up the same way.

Trading Patterson sends the right message to the Club. Total pre-madonna. A lack of effort and concentration will not be given a pass no matter how high a number one pick you are. He'll be out of baseball in two years.

What was the meaning of this trade???? I hope these guys they picked up are trade bait for someone good!!!! C-pat had a terrible year but picking up 2 nobodys isnt the solution. I really hope this is a precursor to something big

I agree Pete. Terrible trade. The Cubs just traded a 25 year old with potential upside when his value was at an all-time low. If this is all Hendry could get, and it's likely that was the case, I'd rather have hung onto to Corey.

I realize the Cub faithful hates Corey Patterson. But I dont get the reasoning for trading him for basically nothing. Patterson doesnt make a boat load of money, and could help the cubs down the road. Even if it was to just put him in left or right field in the 9th inning strictly for defense. Have him pinch run, or pinch hit. I dont see the point in trading someone who you are so high on because he had a piss poor year. Before he blew out his knee two years ago, he was argueably the team MVP for the first half of the year. And now we got a couple of average prospects who may amount to nothing. Patterson had a terrible year, but why trade him for a bag of balls?