Cubs Serve up Pie to Orioles - jmik58's Blog

jmik58's Blog

Cubs Serve up Pie to Orioles

Posted on January 20, 2009 at 02:37 PM.

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http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3842286

Being a Cardinals fan, you would think I would hate the Cubs. But that's the thing about the Cardinals/Cubs Rivalry. Cardinals fans -- at least the ones I know -- generally don't dislike the Cubs. The whining and complaining by the organization and fans (not all) has a magnificent way of escalating their self pity. So instead it's more of a humorous sideshow that brings a little smile after the initial annoyance.

I mean, come on, after a while even Nancy Kerrigan's "Why Me?!" cries got annoying and it was time for her to grow a pair.

If you haven't read (the link is at the top) the Cubbies traded away their #1 prospect from 2007, Felix Pie. I had the chance to watch Felix play a little while with the Iowa Cubs and was very impressed. The big boys in Chicago gave him a shot periodically and went all-in in 2008.

Things didn't quite pan out for Pie offensively, but give it a little time and teaching and he can develop into a solid leadoff guy, right?

Wrong.

Instead, the 23 year old is off to Baltimore. Just like that. Traded for two pitchers. A great defensive player in need of some confidence at the plate and an offensive role, groomed through the farm system, at the ripe age of 23, with speed to burn in an era where speed is at a premium in the National League...simply let go.

Obviously, this is in response to the addition of Milton Bradley. I get the bare economics of it... add one starting RF, trim the excess.

Beyond that, I don't get the long-term perspective of letting a guy like Pie go. Who is he holding back in the minors? He's 23 years old. Twenty-three...not Thirty (30).

But whatever, it's not my team so I don't have to understand it. I just know I'll be fighting back a grin when Pie turns out as a solid leadoff guy with a little patience and guidance by Baltimore.

It's not on the scale of the days when Maddux was let go to the Braves, but it's moves like this that remind us that the Cubs are.....well, the Cubs.