Why would Mark Prior want to stay with the Cubs?

[srbin84]

Many of you know I want the Cubs to trade him, but objectively thinking about it from his perspective, I can't see why he would want to stay with this team. He's from California, and all of the teams there are pretty decent if not good and have money. His time with the Cubs has been miserable, from Bartman to the injuries, the autograph law suit, he gets bashed in the media on a regular basis for being "soft", etc. It's doubtful the Cubs would come close to match a potential offer from the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Dodgers or possibly the Angels, Rangers. He didn't seem decisive in when asked about changing teams on BBTN. I like Prior as much as anybody...when he is pitching, but even those who like him despite his faults and bad luck, is it really worth keeping a guy who seemingly has no reason to stay here? My best hope would be for him to come off the DL soon and never go on it again until free agency. If that were to happen, and he pitched closer to 2002 and 2003 than his last two years, I would probably be in favor of keeping him, but nothing would be worse for this franchise than for him to leave for nothing. The closer he gets to free agency and more he gets hurt, the more his value decreases, and I think Hendry realizes this. Make a case for why he would stay with us.

[UMFan83]

I got that jist from him too. Honestly, I say meh to the whole situation. I barely even feel/care like he is on the team anymore. Obviously him on the team would make the Cubs better, but you just can't count on a player who injuries himself for no reason the first time he pitches all spring and then doesn't come back until June. So forget him, forget Wood, if they are there great, but don't count on them being there.

[srbin84]

I got that jist from him too. Honestly, I say meh to the whole situation. I barely even feel/care like he is on the team anymore. Obviously him on the team would make the Cubs better, but you just can't count on a player who injuries himself for no reason the first time he pitches all spring and then doesn't come back until June. So forget him, forget Wood, if they are there great, but don't count on them being there.

 

That's how I feel. If these guys have value and can be traded, do it. Wood is probably untradable because of the no trade clause. Even if Prior comes back this year and pitches well, there is a good chance the season will be lost because of his time missed. Even if we could trade him and Jones straight up for a guy like Kevin Mench or anyone good who would help the team now and in the future, I don't see why we wouldn't do it....I really can't. If Baseball were a poker tournament, the Cubs have like 20 percent of their money locked in a CD that can't be used. It just seems so stupid to let that go to waste. If he was healthy the last two years or we had a player acquired in trade for him, we would have made the playoffs in 2004 and maybe 2005. I just want to see the Cubs make the playoffs and have a chance to win to the World Series and keeping him seems to be hurting our chances of doing that every year.

[WrigleyField 22]

This thread makes me sad.

[SouthSideRyan]

Even if we could trade him and Jones straight up for a guy like Kevin Mench or anyone good who would help the team now and in the future, I don't see why we wouldn't do it....I really can't.

 

Because we'd be getting ripped off? Horribly?

[srbin84]

Even if we could trade him and Jones straight up for a guy like Kevin Mench or anyone good who would help the team now and in the future, I don't see why we wouldn't do it....I really can't.

 

Because we'd be getting ripped off? Horribly?

 

That's not the point. We'd have a better record.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

After the 2003 season, would anyone have given any thought to Prior leaving? We were coming off a wildly successful year for him and the team. Prior has almost 2 full years before he's eligible for free agency, too much can happen between now and then to be able to forsee what Prior's opinion of the franchise will be.

[srbin84]

After the 2003 season, would anyone have given any thought to Prior leaving? We were coming off a wildly successful year for him and the team. Prior has almost 2 full years before he's eligible for free agency, too much can happen between now and then to be able to forsee what Prior's opinion of the franchise will be.

 

If you wait that out and it turns out he leaves, the Cubs we'll be set back a lot. It doesn't seem like a good gamble to me.

[rocket]

If the Cubs were to trade Mark Prior for Kevin Mench I would be done with this team for a long time.

 

Mark Prior is under our control for a few more years. It's not too late to change his perception about the Cubs, if it's even tainted at all.

 

Plus, could we get a good enough return for Prior, considering other GMs probably see him as a soft pitcher who has had injury issues every year of his major league career? (I understand most are fluke accidents, but I don't think some GMs distinguish between those).

[srbin84]

If the Cubs were to trade Mark Prior for Kevin Mench I would be done with this team for a long time.

 

Mark Prior is under our control for a few more years. It's not too late to change his perception about the Cubs, if it's even tainted at all.

 

Plus, could we get a good enough return for Prior, considering other GMs probably see him as a soft pitcher who has had injury issues every year of his major league career? (I understand most are fluke accidents, but I don't think some GMs distinguish between those).

 

We'd probably have to get him healthy and pitching well for a month, and I think then his value would be pretty good to do better than getting one good player and shedding a contract or two in the process. I'd hate to see the Cubs get drunk with his potential again though.

[Omar]

This thread makes me sad.

 

Sad but true.

[snoodmonger]

I still can't believe he's a month away from pitching for us. I mean, I can barely even remember why. He got the flu? Then he felt a twinge or something? It's all so hazy. it's like nothing happened, but he's gone anyway.

[NorthsideAvenger]

I don't buy Prior wanting to leave the Cubs. I HONESTLY believe that like the fans, Mark Prior is fully frustrated with his time in Chicago. He knows he can help the Cubs. And just because he is from Californai doesn't mean he wants "to go home." What kind of reasoning is that?

 

Prior will eventually get healthy, and will be one of the game's best very soon. Patient is a virtue that must be applied.

[badger1679666666]

I can't say bye to Prior yet. Call it an unhealthy attachment, call it having blinders on, call it what you want. I don't want to see him getting several cy youngs with another team. It would make me incredibly sad to see both Prior and Wood gone from this team - probably would send me into a minidepression I think.

 

He's way too young to give up on right now, plus you'd be selling him at his lowest point. A few good months aren't gonna help because he'll still be labeled as "soft" by other GM's. A few good YEARS might help, but then why would you want to trade him?

[soccer10k]

I can't say bye to Prior yet. Call it an unhealthy attachment, call it having blinders on, call it what you want. I don't want to see him getting several cy youngs with another team. It would make me incredibly sad to see both Prior and Wood gone from this team - probably would send me into a minidepression I think.

 

He's way too young to give up on right now, plus you'd be selling him at his lowest point. A few good months aren't gonna help because he'll still be labeled as "soft" by other GM's. A few good YEARS might help, but then why would you want to trade him?

 

I agree. I can't give up on Prior yet. I've given up hope on Wood though. Seeing him leave wouldn't bother me in the least. I know he had the 20 strikeout game but he hasn't shown the ability to be healthy. Never mind the fact that he's not that great of a pitcher. He's above average but he's not that great. Come on, the guy hasn't even won 15 games in a season (14 is his career high). At least Prior had a Cy Young caliber season in 2003. Wood has had far too many things go wrong. Prior is still young. I think we should at least give him until the end of his contract. His trade value can't get much lower than it is right now.

[MPrior]

I agree. I can't give up on Prior yet. I've given up hope on Wood though. Seeing him leave wouldn't bother me in the least. I know he had the 20 strikeout game but he hasn't shown the ability to be healthy. Never mind the fact that he's not that great of a pitcher. He's above average but he's not that great. Come on, the guy hasn't even won 15 games in a season (14 is his career high). At least Prior had a Cy Young caliber season in 2003. Wood has had far too many things go wrong. Prior is still young. I think we should at least give him until the end of his contract. His trade value can't get much lower than it is right now.

 

This is absolutely ridiculous. Even including his sub-par 2005, his career ERA is 3.67, and his career ERA+ is 116. He's had ERA+ seasons of 128, 126, 133, and 122, with 166.7, 174.3, 211.0, and 140.3 innings pitched, respectively. He's got a career K/9 of 10.436, which is second all-time, behind only Randy Johnson. When Wood is healthy, he is a sickeningly dominant pitcher.

[David]

I agree. I can't give up on Prior yet. I've given up hope on Wood though. Seeing him leave wouldn't bother me in the least. I know he had the 20 strikeout game but he hasn't shown the ability to be healthy. Never mind the fact that he's not that great of a pitcher. He's above average but he's not that great. Come on, the guy hasn't even won 15 games in a season (14 is his career high). At least Prior had a Cy Young caliber season in 2003. Wood has had far too many things go wrong. Prior is still young. I think we should at least give him until the end of his contract. His trade value can't get much lower than it is right now.

 

This is absolutely ridiculous. Even including his sub-par 2005, his career ERA is 3.67, and his career ERA+ is 116. He's had ERA+ seasons of 128, 126, 133, and 122, with 166.7, 174.3, 211.0, and 140.3 innings pitched, respectively. He's got a career K/9 of 10.436, which is second all-time, behind only Randy Johnson. When Wood is healthy, he is a sickeningly dominant pitcher.

 

Exactly.

 

I honestly can't BELIEVE that people are still genuinely using that tired (and astonishlingly weak) 15-win argument.

[BigSlick]

I still can't believe he's a month away from pitching for us. I mean, I can barely even remember why. He got the flu? Then he felt a twinge or something? It's all so hazy. it's like nothing happened, but he's gone anyway.

 

The realities of being a cubs fan. Players drop for little to no reason.

 

Its madness.

[srbin84]

I still can't believe he's a month away from pitching for us. I mean, I can barely even remember why. He got the flu? Then he felt a twinge or something? It's all so hazy. it's like nothing happened, but he's gone anyway.

 

The realities of being a cubs fan. Players drop for little to no reason.

 

Its madness.

 

That's why I think we need to cut the problem out like a tumor.

[BigSlick]

Exactly.

 

I honestly can't BELIEVE that people are still genuinely using that tired (and astonishlingly weak) 15-win argument.

 

Its not that weak, even if he's dominant, he doesn't even give you the requisite starts to get over 15 wins.

[soccer10k]

Exactly.

 

I honestly can't BELIEVE that people are still genuinely using that tired (and astonishlingly weak) 15-win argument.

 

Its not that weak, even if he's dominant, he doesn't even give you the requisite starts to get over 15 wins.

 

Exactly. Either he isn't good enough to win 15 games or he isn't healthy enough to win 15 games. Whichever way you go, there is a problem.

[srbin84]

Exactly.

 

I honestly can't BELIEVE that people are still genuinely using that tired (and astonishlingly weak) 15-win argument.

 

Its not that weak, even if he's dominant, he doesn't even give you the requisite starts to get over 15 wins.

 

Exactly. Either he isn't good enough to win 15 games or he isn't healthy enough to win 15 games. Whichever way you go, there is a problem.

 

And like I've always said, when you have guys that miss a lot of starts, no matter how good they are, their numbers are tainted when you average in all the bums like Rusch that take their place.

[soccer10k]

Exactly.

 

I honestly can't BELIEVE that people are still genuinely using that tired (and astonishlingly weak) 15-win argument.

 

Its not that weak, even if he's dominant, he doesn't even give you the requisite starts to get over 15 wins.

 

Exactly. Either he isn't good enough to win 15 games or he isn't healthy enough to win 15 games. Whichever way you go, there is a problem.

 

And like I've always said, when you have guys that miss a lot of starts, no matter how good they are, their numbers are tainted when you average in all the bums like Rusch that take their place.

 

Honestly, I would rather have a decent pitcher that will not miss a start than a great pitcher that is going to get injured all the time. And this is where srbin's point comes in. You have to factor in the replacement pitcher's starts into the equation. Sure Wood's ERA is great but take his ERA for 20 starts but add in 15 starts from Glendon Rusch, all of a sudden that ERA doesn't look so good anymore.

[soccer10k]

Also, in 2003, Wood started 32 games, had a 3.20 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP yet he only won 14 games on a team that won their division.

 

http://baseball-reference.com/w/woodke02.shtml

 

I know other years he could have an excuse because the Cubs stunk, but what happened that year? He has no excuse.

[Wes Mantooth]

A question for those of you that have more computer smarts and time than I; How many games has Wood left with the lead, just to see the bullpen lose the game?