ATLANTA - Corey Patterson's struggles have landed him
in the minor leagues.
The reeling Cubs optioned the disappointing outfielder to Class
AAA Iowa of the Pacific Coast League following Thursday night's
game against the Atlanta Braves.
After batting .266 with career highs of 24 homers and 72 RBIs in
157 games last season, Patterson - the Cubs' starting center
fielder - has endured a nightmarish 2005 campaign.
Patterson entered the second game of Thursday's doubleheader
against Atlanta, mired in a 2-for-25 slump over his last eight
games. Over the weekend, Patterson was booed loudly at Wrigley
Field.
Patterson, 25, is batting .232 with 11 homers, 24 RBIs and 12
stolen bases in 83 games this season. He also has struck out 83
times in 314 at-bats.
Mired in a season-high eight-game losing streak after dropping
both games to the Braves, the Cubs (40-44) also optioned
outfielder Jason Dubois to Iowa while purchasing the contracts
of outfielders Adam Greenberg and Matt Murton from Class AA West
Tenn of the Southern League.
Dubois, 26, had spent the entire season with the Cubs, hitting
.289 with seven homers and 22 RBIs in 52 games.
Greenberg, 24, was hitting .278 with four homers and 28 RBIs in
74 games. The 23-year-old Murton was batting .342 with eight
homers and 46 RBIs in 78 games.