Baseball Prospectus' Marc Normandin profiles former Cubs and top flight prospect and current fourth outfielder type Corey Patterson. (Sub. req'd.) "Patterson's inability to make changes in his game has kept him from improving from the player he was in his earlier years, and his tendency to pull the ball with the power he doesn't have is part of this discussion." ... more

The Cubs are intent on acquiring a left-handed hitting outfielder this offseason. Here's one available: Corey Patterson. Patterson, now 28, hit just .269/.304/.386 for the Baltimore Orioles in 2007.

"The Orioles have agreed to terms today on a one-year deal with Corey Patterson, avoiding salary arbitration with their center fielder, according to a club source," reports the Baltimore Sun. "Patterson will make a base salary of $4.3 million in 2007. He had asked for $4.6, while the Orioles had offered $4 million."

Patterson had a .262 EqA and played 102 Rate2 defense in CF for the Orioles last season.

Patterson made $2.8M in his last season with the Cubs, in 2005.

Jason Blasco as Top Prospect Alert has written a profile of Peoria Chiefs second baseman Eric Patterson. On Patterson's relationship with his older brother, Corey: "Our conversations aren't just baseball related. We are doing a lot of catching up. . . . It does help having that resource because he has been through everything I am going through now. You can hear stories all day, but you don’t really know what it is like until you experience everything yourself." . . . more