The Cubs, for pulling the trigger at the last possible minute of prospect value, still manage to get serviceable players. Olson was a first round sandwich pick in 2005 out of Cal Poly who has put up strong strikeout numbers through his minor league career, but hasn't been able to make the transition from minor league ace to major league starter. After putting up great numbers at AAA Norfolk in 2007 (3.16 ERA, 8.4 k/9, 1.05 WHIP in 22 starts) and not so great in a cup of coffee that same year, Olson spent most of the 2008 season with the Orioles, and stuck with not so great. The talent seems to be there (as his minor league career shows), and he's only 25 - around the same age John Maine was when the O's shipped him off to the Mets for Anna Benson's husband. Add in Williamson, who has a live arm (11.0 k/9 in 90 career innings) and who could potentially have upside, although it's pretty early to tell.

Overall this is one of those "change of scenery" trades that can work out for both teams. Both main guys are prospects who can't be called that much longer who have nothing left to prove at the AAA level, but haven't been able to show that they deserve to stick at the major league level. Of the two, the Orioles are most likely to see returns on the trade, since Olson making the Cubs major league roster isn't a given, but the Orioles are content with putting a player into the lineup and dealing with the lumps (as they did with Adam Jones last season). Figure Pie will get a shot at being the everyday center fielder or left fielder (depending on where he and Jones end up). That, and Pie is probably out of options - I figure he would have used two the last two seasons, and if 2005 was his third "real" season in the Cubs organization, then he would have burned an option in 2006 as well (surely the Cubs would have protected him from Rule 5 given his prospect level.)? So figure the Cubs have Johnson, Alfonso Soriano, Fukudome, Milton Bradley, and Joey Gathwright (!) all under contract for next season, and with it being unlikely that the Cubs could move Fukudome, then Pie would end up getting sent down and having to clear waivers, which wouldn't happen.

I don't think Pie ever got a fair shot in Chicago, and that's not necessarily Chicago's fault. It's one thing when you're the Orioles (or the Rays in past seasons) and can afford to put a developing player out onto the field and deal with 0-5 nights, but the Cubs are in a tough division where a few games here and there could mean the difference between the playoffs and another season without a World Series. Pie was given opportunities, but when he failed in those two that he was given, the Cubs had no other choice than to look elsewhere. Pie could turn into another Brandon Phillips, but in this case, the Cubs are actually getting something for Pie, where Cleveland just tried to get Phillips through waivers and ended up having to deal him to Cincinnati for pennies on the dollar.

WINNER: Orioles, but for the wrong reasons.