The Trib is reporting this morning that the Cubs are close to dealing Corey Patterson to...wait for it...the Orioles, in exchange for a minor leaguer - and while no names were dropped, one of the article's sources implied that it would not be one of the Orioles' "top five or so prospects." 'Tis too shocking to behold.

Needless to say, this isn't what I had in mind yesterday, but it's something, and frankly, if the Cubs don't have to pay money and still get something of even marginal value in return for Patterson - a bucket of roughly used baseballs, a "Camden Yards Spittoon", an autographed Sammy Sosa jersey - they'll have done better than I thought possible.

We'll never know how much of Patterson's failure to live up to his hyped potential lay at his feet, how much was due to the organization's inability to teach, how much was due to his being rushed, or how much was just an overstatement of expectations, but despite all the frustrations I truly wish him well, because if nothing else, I saw little that would make me think he was a bad guy. Assuming this deal goes down, I wish you luck Corey. And watch out for those high, hard ones.