The Patterson Boys

With Eric Patterson playing in the Futures game, and the Cubs recent departure of Corey Patterson, many Cubs fans aren't quite sure what to expect from the future Patterson of the Cub organization.

The good news is that Eric Patterson possesses some of the attributes of his brother, while being a different player altogether. Let's take a look at the similarities and differences between the two.



Similarities

1. The first and most obvious similarity is they are both left-handed, and really have similar batting stances and swings, with one exception.
   
2. They are both extremely fast with plus plus speed, which makes hitting left-handed particularly helpful as they gain a step out of the box.
3. Defensively, both can excel at their position.
   

Differences

1. While both have similar stances, Eric has a better approach at the plate which can be seen by each player's K/BB ratios. Over Eric's college and minor league career Eric has maintained better than a 2/1 K ratio, while Corey tended to be closer to 4/1 or worse.
2. As noted in point #1, Eric did attend college at Georgia Tech, while Corey was drafted and signed out of high school. While this may seem insignificant, Corey Patterson went from hitting 3rd for high school team, undoubtedly, to a transition to leading off. For Eric, Georgia Tech forced him to become a team player and find his role to earn playing time. Whether directly related or not, Eric has the attributes needed, speed, patience, etc to be a successful major league leadoff batter.
3. Position wise, Eric obviously does not play outfield, although I'm certain he could make the transition one day if needed, while Corey played outfield in high school and now professionally where he could win a gold glove one day. Eric does have nice range, but has made 10 errors in 88 games for the D-Jaxx this season, so still has some room to improve.
4. While the two player share similar speed, Eric will never hit for the power that Corey has shown at the major league level. Corey could certainly 25-30 a year, while Eric most likely will never hit more than 10-15 with his approach at the plate.
   

Conclusion

To those Cubs fans out there, when Eric Patterson makes his debut (most likely in 2007), remember this isn't Corey. As you see above the similarities between the two are purely aesthetic. Eric is a different player altogether who excels with his speed, patience, and gap power, while Corey is more of an all or nothing type of player.