Ex-hot shot Pie dealt to Orioles

He was once the can’t-miss jewel of the Cubs’ minor-league system, but outfielder Felix Pie went the way of Corey Patterson and other top prospects before him when he was traded Sunday to the Baltimore Orioles for two young pitchers.

Pie, 23, long touted as a five-tool player as he rose through the Cubs’ system, never showed he could hit at the major-league level and quickly frustrated new manager Lou Piniella after breaking into the big leagues in 2007 during a time of renewed urgency to win.

The Cubs got left-hander Garrett Olson, 25, who is expected to be in the battle for a spot in the rotation or a starter-reliever swingman role, and Class A right-hander Henry Williamson, 23.

A Pie-Olson swap looked at one point this winter as if it would be part of a multiteam deal that would result in the Cubs getting San Diego Padres ace Jake Peavy. The Padres still are believed to like Olson, and the deal adds to a growing inventory of pitching prospects that could help the Cubs eventually get Peavy or another veteran — if new ownership is settled soon and signs off on more spending.

Pie’s departure was hastened because he was out of contract options and would have been a long shot to make the big-league roster this spring. The Cubs would not have been able to send him to the minors without exposing him to waivers. His fate appeared sealed when the Cubs signed speedy outfielder Joey Gathright last month.

Pitcher Rich Hill and infielder Ronny Cedeno also are out of options and face the strong possibility of being traded before the season.

”Felix has a lot of good qualities,” general manager Jim Hendry said. ”At his age, even if he was the fifth outfielder, it’s hard to paint a scenario where he would have gotten enough at-bats to finish off his development. It’s part of the game. If he had an option left, we probably wouldn’t be moving him.”

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