Former O's minor leaguers -- Nate Spears
In yesterday’s post about the Arizona Fall League, I mentioned infielder Nate Spears and asked if anyone knew how he was connected to the Orioles. No one came out and actually named the association, but the commenter “jj” hinted that he knew the answer.
Anyway, I decided that I was going to start a new feature for O’s on Deck that would talk about former players from the Orioles’ minor league system and how they’ve performed after they left the organization. Since I mentioned Spears yesterday, it’s only logical that he is the first player discussed.
Spears was traded along with minor league pitcher Carlos Perez to the Chicago Cubs before the 2006 season for outfielder Corey Patterson. Prior to the trade, Spears hit .294 with six home runs and 41 RBIs in 112 games for the Frederick Keys in 2005. He had 30 doubles and 64 runs scored during that season.
The 23-year-old second baseman struggled in his first season in the Cubs’ minor league system. He only hit .246 with one home run and 25 RBIs in 97 games for the Single-A Daytona Cubs during the 2006 season.
Spears hit .261 with one home run and 26 RBIs in 78 games for Daytona in 2007. He was promoted to the Double-A Tennessee Smokies in the middle of July. Spears, who was originally drafted by the Orioles in the fifth round of the 2003 MLB draft, hit .298 with four home runs, 11 RBIs and 22 runs scored in 38 games for the Smokies.
Spears played well for the Smokies this season. He hit .299 with seven home runs and 51 RBIs in 115 games. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound infielder had 22 doubles, five triples and 71 runs scored. Spears was named to the midseason and postseason All-Star teams in the Southern League. He was 5-for-18 with five runs scored in five games for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs at the end of the year.
Patterson hit .276 with 16 home runs and 53 RBIs for the Orioles in 2006. He had 45 stolen bases and 75 runs scored in 135 games during that season. The 29-year-old outfielder hit .269 with eight home runs and 45 RBIs in 2007. He had 26 doubles and 37 stolen bases in 132 games. Patterson, however, is no longer in the organization.
Perez pitched for the Cubs in Single-A during the 2006 season, but he returned to the Orioles’ minor league system and pitched for Frederick and the Bowie Baysox in 2007.
What’s everyone think of the deal that sent Spears to the Cubs for Patterson? Was it a good trade because Patterson helped the Orioles for two seasons? Do you believe it was a bad transaction because Patterson is no longer with the Orioles? Does it depend on how Spears progresses in the Cubs’ minor league system?
Let’s hear your thoughts. Also, feel free to let me know if you’d like to find out what happened to other players after they left the organization.
Categories: Former O's minor leaguers
Comments
Between Spears, Fontenot, and Hairston it's no wonder we have no minor league depth at 2B...We traded them all to the Cubs!!!!
Posted by: Mr. Deez | October 14, 2008 10:19 AM
Spears deal seemed right at the time! Hairston had to go-we had BRob!! Andy M. won't be the type to make any knee jerk reaction trades for re-treads that don't fit in the long term plan. Curious about Chad Bradford deal though- was it just to free up some cash!
Posted by: Wiffleball King | October 14, 2008 11:19 AM
Spears, Fontenot, Hairston - add Gary Cates as another former O's system 2b guy that went to the Cubs.
Posted by: Karl of Delaware | October 14, 2008 12:04 PM
Don't forget that we dealt Willie Harris to the White Sox for Chris Singleton. That's 4 second basemen traded to Chicago teams for 3 outfielders. Singleton stayed one nonproductive season. Sosa, mercifully, left town after one horrendous year. Patterson did better but never learned to walk.
The O's kept Brian Roberts who was the best of them all.
After failing to produce position players for so many years, why did the Orioles farm system churn out so many second basemen in the last 10 years?
1) Maybe this isn't an abnormal number at all but just the return of normal production in an improved farm system.
2) Second base prospects are easier to produce than shortstops. They don't have to have the same quality arm.
3) We're not talking Johnson, Grich, and Dauer here! Roberts is terrific, Hairston had his moments, Fontenot is average, and Harris floats around basement clubs as a utility player.
Posted by: stanhouse | October 14, 2008 12:12 PM
Don't we get a player to be named later for Bradford? I have been cheering on the Rays in the hope that they win the Series and we get a better player as a result. How about finding out what the deal is?
Posted by: john | October 14, 2008 3:00 PM
No one will argue that B-Rob is the best of them all; it's not even close. But our team is actually considering trading B-Rob. Let's be honest, if he doesn't sign an extension this off season, we have to deal him. If that happens, there is nobody left to take his place. I agree that Hairston had to go, but Fontenot would be a very nice backup plan right about now.
Posted by: Mr. Deez | October 14, 2008 5:36 PM
As bad as the Orioles have been over the last decade, I don't think even Satan could help them.
Posted by: NC Orioles Fan | October 20, 2008 2:04 PM
I think it was a good trade, now our family gets free cubs stuff instead of free oriole stuff. Haha.
Posted by: Eric Spears (one of nates younger brothers) | March 12, 2009 2:13 PM