Cubs Give Up Pie

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Jan 19, 2009 4:15PM

With 2009 rolling around, many of us made New Years resolutions -- go to bed earlier, save more money, eat better. For the Cubs, apparently, their resolution was giving up Pie. The North Siders traded Felix Pie, their onetime center fielder of the future, to the Baltimore Orioles over the weekend in return for two pitchers. In return for Pie - who will perhaps be best remembered for his twisted testicle - the Cubs landed left-handed pitcher Garrett Olson and Class A right-hander Henry Williamson. Olson was just 9-10 with a 6.65 ERA in 26 starts for Baltimore last season.

So why dump a promising young outfielder for a subpar pitcher and a low level prospect, even if the outfield situation is a bit crowded these days? Perhaps because Olson was one of the pitchers of interest to the San Diego Padres. When the Cubs and Padres were trying to work a three-way deal that would land the Cubs Jake Peavy, Olson's name was one of those included in some scenarios.

Along with the three minor-league pitchers acquired from Cleveland in the Mark DeRosa trade, it's looking like Jim Hendry is trying to put together the pieces to make another push for Peavy without other teams' involvement.

Photo by Morry Gash/AP