June 27, 2010 at 12:27 AM
Red Sox acquire Eric Patterson from Oakland
The Boston Red Sox, looking to get middle infield help in the absence of Dustin Pedroia, acquired the versatile Eric Patterson from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for pitcher Fabian Williamson of High-A Salem.Patterson, 27, has played both second base and the outfield this season in 45 games with Oakland. Originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 8th round of the 2004 amateur draft, Patterson has hit .204/.255/.408 with 4 home runs, 9 RBI, and 6 stolen bases this season with the Athletics. The brother of outfielder Corey Patterson of the Baltimore Orioles, he has had success in the minors, posting a .303/.368/.478 line across five minor league seasons between the Chicago (NL) and Oakland organizations. He is known for his exceptional speed (175 steals in 572 minor league games) and his solid defense at second base.
The left-handed Williamson was in his second season with the Red Sox organization after being acquired from the Seattle Mariners in 2009 for David Aardsma. The 45th ranked prospect on SoxProspects.com, Williamson was 4-3 with a 3.72 ERA in 14 starts this season with High-A Salem. The 21-year-old has compiled a 24-13 record with a 3.17 ERA across four minor league seasons with the Seattle and Boston organizations.