The Corey Patterson trade is NOT embarrassing. This is a kid who SHOWED no remorse for sucking when he was with the Cubs. He showed no ambition to improving (part of the blame goes to the Cubs, as well as Patterson). And quite frankly....his career numbers SAY...Corey will return to the land of the Nefti Perez, before the yr is out. This is simply a "hot streak" and it won't last, especially once teams know how to pitch Corey. The Patterson trade was simply the best option at the time, and it will prove to be the BEST the Cubs could have done. And on Prior, I don't want just "getting something" for Prior. Everybody knows what Prior can do when he is healthy (SHOULD have won the Cy Young in 03, but oh well) thus the Cubs---if they decide to trade---should demand...a very good package for Prior. The Cubs DON'T have to trade Prior, and ONCE Prior gets healthy (it's a matter of time) he WILL be in the same class as Z. Was it a hotstreak in 2003 when Corey hit .298/.329/.511/.840 in 329 AB's? Corey was going through the natural progressions of a young hitter. Is it a coincidence that his numbers decreased dramatically after Dusty got to Chicago and now that he's in Baltimore, his numbers are back up to his 2003 range? I think not. 2003: .298/.329/.511/.840 2006: .291/.336/.507/.843 Those numbers look awfully similar don't they? You can't argue that Patterson would have stay at that pace for the rest of the season. You simply can't. My guess is...a couple of hot streaks surrending by CRAP, doesn't mean Corey has found it all of a sudden. You can blame Dusty all you want, but the fact is...Corey simply did NOT care at all about producing in Chicago. I still contend when pitchers figure Corey out, Corey will return to the .250/.310/.400 line.