Prior requests arbitration raise (was What??)

[Andy]

Win or lose, Mark Prior will make less money than Cesar Izturis or Jason Marquis or Scott Eyre.

 

That's just sad.

Don't forget Ted Lilly.

 

Pays to stay healthy I guess...

Or have been a free agent.

[C.C.]

Win or lose, Mark Prior will make less money than Cesar Izturis or Jason Marquis or Scott Eyre.

 

That's just sad.

Don't forget Ted Lilly.

 

Pays to stay healthy I guess...

Or have been a free agent.

 

Health is more important.

[Tracer Bullet]

Win or lose, Mark Prior will make less money than Cesar Izturis or Jason Marquis or Scott Eyre.

 

That's just sad.

Don't forget Ted Lilly.

 

Pays to stay healthy I guess...

Or have been a free agent.

 

Health is more important.

 

You think Lilly would have gotten a bigger deal than Prior if Prior were a FA this year? Even with his injury history, I think Prior would have made more.

[C.C.]

Win or lose, Mark Prior will make less money than Cesar Izturis or Jason Marquis or Scott Eyre.

 

That's just sad.

Don't forget Ted Lilly.

 

Pays to stay healthy I guess...

Or have been a free agent.

 

Health is more important.

 

You think Lilly would have gotten a bigger deal than Prior if Prior were a FA this year? Even with his injury history, I think Prior would have made more.

 

No way! Do you honestly think so? I don't think he would even pass a physical.

[Sammy Sofa]

Win or lose, Mark Prior will make less money than Cesar Izturis or Jason Marquis or Scott Eyre.

 

That's just sad.

Don't forget Ted Lilly.

 

Pays to stay healthy I guess...

Or have been a free agent.

 

Health is more important.

 

You think Lilly would have gotten a bigger deal than Prior if Prior were a FA this year? Even with his injury history, I think Prior would have made more.

 

No way! Do you honestly think so? I don't think he would even pass a physical.

 

I don't think he would have gotten more than Lilly, but I have little to no doubt he'd make more than the Cubs are paying him right now or might be paying him after this little bump.

[C.C.]

Win or lose, Mark Prior will make less money than Cesar Izturis or Jason Marquis or Scott Eyre.

 

That's just sad.

Don't forget Ted Lilly.

 

Pays to stay healthy I guess...

Or have been a free agent.

 

Health is more important.

 

You think Lilly would have gotten a bigger deal than Prior if Prior were a FA this year? Even with his injury history, I think Prior would have made more.

 

No way! Do you honestly think so? I don't think he would even pass a physical.

 

I don't think he would have gotten more than Lilly, but I have little to no doubt he'd make more than the Cubs are paying him right now or might be paying him after this little bump.

 

Sure, I can see a 1 year deal with a option, but I can't see a team signing him for 4-5 years at 10 million per.

[imb]

if lilly were in arbitration, he would make less than prior would.

[C.C.]

if lilly were in arbitration, he would make less than prior would.

 

Huh? Lilly made 4 million and Prior made 3.6 last year. How do you figure Prior makes more. He barely even pitched last year?

[Sammy Sofa]

if lilly were in arbitration, he would make less than prior would.

 

Huh? Lilly made 4 million and Prior made 3.6 last year. How do you figure Prior makes more. He barely even pitched last year?

 

Because Prior is Prior and Lilly is Lilly.

[C.C.]

if lilly were in arbitration, he would make less than prior would.

 

Huh? Lilly made 4 million and Prior made 3.6 last year. How do you figure Prior makes more. He barely even pitched last year?

 

Because Prior is Prior and Lilly is Lilly.

 

 

Prior hasn't been Prior in quite sometime.

[Sammy Sofa]

if lilly were in arbitration, he would make less than prior would.

 

Huh? Lilly made 4 million and Prior made 3.6 last year. How do you figure Prior makes more. He barely even pitched last year?

 

Because Prior is Prior and Lilly is Lilly.

 

 

Prior hasn't been Prior in quite sometime.

 

For one season. And even so, he's at least been Prior at some point relatively recently in his very young career. Lilly has always been Lilly.

[imb]

if lilly were in arbitration, he would make less than prior would.

 

Huh? Lilly made 4 million and Prior made 3.6 last year. How do you figure Prior makes more. He barely even pitched last year?

 

That was Lilly's last arbitration year. Prior is still in the middle of his.

[C.C.]

if lilly were in arbitration, he would make less than prior would.

 

Huh? Lilly made 4 million and Prior made 3.6 last year. How do you figure Prior makes more. He barely even pitched last year?

 

Because Prior is Prior and Lilly is Lilly.

 

 

Prior hasn't been Prior in quite sometime.

 

For one season. And even so, he's at least been Prior at some point relatively recently in his very young career. Lilly has always been Lilly.

 

Prior is asking for 3.875 for next year, and Lilly made 4 million last year. So do you honestly think they would've cut Lilly's pay if he was up for arbitration this year? How do you figure Prior would make more?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Prior is asking for 3.875 for next year, and Lilly made 4 million last year. So do you honestly think they would've cut Lilly's pay if he was up for arbitration this year? How do you figure Prior would make more?

 

You're comparing different arbitration years. Lilly made 3.1 million as part of a 2 year, 5M deal in his 2nd arbitration year, which is what Prior is in right now.

[goonys evil twin]

This conversation went from pointless to without point in quite a hurry.

[C.C.]

Prior is asking for 3.875 for next year, and Lilly made 4 million last year. So do you honestly think they would've cut Lilly's pay if he was up for arbitration this year? How do you figure Prior would make more?

 

You're comparing different arbitration years. Lilly made 3.1 million as part of a 2 year, 5M deal in his 2nd arbitration year, which is what Prior is in right now.

 

Yes, I know. I thought he was saying if Lilly this year theoretically-speaking was still in arbitration he wouldn't make more then Prior. This is pointless and stupid.

[Mephistopheles]

Wasn't Prior supposed to be throwing sometime this month? Any word on that or was it just PR bull?

 

 

EDIT: Wow, he is.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070117&content_id=1780798&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

"Mark is up on the hill, throwing some bullpens and doing well," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said Wednesday before boarding a bus with other players and staff for a trip to downstate Illinois.

 

"The reports have been encouraging, and we're all keeping our fingers crossed," Hendry said. "We'd love to show up and have the old Mark back and feel like we have a great, new player come in that we weren't expecting. We wanted to cover ourselves in depth if Mark was behind, but if he's on schedule, we'll feel like we got a bonus."

[C.C.]

Wasn't Prior supposed to be throwing sometime this month? Any word on that or was it just PR bull?

 

 

EDIT: Wow, he is.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070117&content_id=1780798&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

"Mark is up on the hill, throwing some bullpens and doing well," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said Wednesday before boarding a bus with other players and staff for a trip to downstate Illinois.

 

"The reports have been encouraging, and we're all keeping our fingers crossed," Hendry said. "We'd love to show up and have the old Mark back and feel like we have a great, new player come in that we weren't expecting. We wanted to cover ourselves in depth if Mark was behind, but if he's on schedule, we'll feel like we got a bonus."

 

Yeah I posted this earlier. I can't wait what he has to say at the Cubs Convention this weekend.

[CuseCubFan69]

Wasn't Prior supposed to be throwing sometime this month? Any word on that or was it just PR bull?

 

 

EDIT: Wow, he is.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070117&content_id=1780798&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

"Mark is up on the hill, throwing some bullpens and doing well," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said Wednesday before boarding a bus with other players and staff for a trip to downstate Illinois.

 

"The reports have been encouraging, and we're all keeping our fingers crossed," Hendry said. "We'd love to show up and have the old Mark back and feel like we have a great, new player come in that we weren't expecting. We wanted to cover ourselves in depth if Mark was behind, but if he's on schedule, we'll feel like we got a bonus."

 

I wonder what "on schedule" is? Do the Cubs have a target date for his return?

[C.C.]

Wasn't Prior supposed to be throwing sometime this month? Any word on that or was it just PR bull?

 

 

EDIT: Wow, he is.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070117&content_id=1780798&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

"Mark is up on the hill, throwing some bullpens and doing well," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said Wednesday before boarding a bus with other players and staff for a trip to downstate Illinois.

 

"The reports have been encouraging, and we're all keeping our fingers crossed," Hendry said. "We'd love to show up and have the old Mark back and feel like we have a great, new player come in that we weren't expecting. We wanted to cover ourselves in depth if Mark was behind, but if he's on schedule, we'll feel like we got a bonus."

 

I wonder what "on schedule" is? Do the Cubs have a target date for his return?

 

If they did, do you think they would tell us?

[Amazing_Grace]

If Prior went to free agency, he probably would certainly make more. Most analysts thought that the Wood contract was a hometown discount that the Cubs got, and Prior would certainly get more than Wood because he has spent less time injured over the last couple of years. Even though he didn't put up the same numbers for the same length of time, I could easily see Prior making a Mark Mulder contract in FA.

 

You have to ask yourself though, how much is a guy worth if there's a 50% chance he'll never pitch for my big league club and a 75-80% chance that when/if he returns, he won't be pitching anywhere close to the level he once achieved. At this point, we're talking about a guy who has pitched more than 200 IP just once in a 5 year career and the next closest season was 166.2 in 2005, where he pitched decently but by no means great. Any team that signs a guy like Prior for more than one season is taking a huge gamble they'll end up eating a lot of money. Someone might give him a better contract for a single season, hoping to catch lightning in a bottle, knowing even if they do he might price himself out of their range in the offseason. Moreover, I don't see a lot of teams taking a big money chance on an injury risk. The market is high this offseason for pitching but, remember what the most important factor in pitchers getting contracts this offseason has been, innings pitched.

 

Wouldn't we have gotten a draft choice if the Cubs had not offered arbritration and Prior left? I forget how that works but depending on how high the choice is, it might have been worth it to let him walk.

 

EDIT: Personally I think he'd get in FA exactly what he'll get in arbi, a 1 year deal worth 3.5M-5M. No one is going to give a guy with Prior's injury history more than a one year deal unless the player's willing to take even less money. The Cubs seem to have unlimited cash this offseason so that may have made it easy to just pay for the slim chance Prior comes back to a semi-decent level, knowing that if we get another 6 GS season we can cut him loose to save money next year.

Edited January 17, 2007 by Amazing_Grace

[Bruce Miles]

If Prior went to free agency, he probably would certainly make more. Most analysts thought that the Wood contract was a hometown discount that the Cubs got, and Prior would certainly get more than Wood because he has spent less time injured over the last couple of years. Even though he didn't put up the same numbers for the same length of time, I could easily see Prior making a Mark Mulder contract in FA.

 

You have to ask yourself though, how much is a guy worth if there's a 50% chance he'll never pitch for my big league club and a 75-80% chance that when/if he returns, he won't be pitching anywhere close to the level he once achieved. At this point, we're talking about a guy who has pitched more than 200 IP just once in a 5 year career and the next closest season was 166.2 in 2005, where he pitched decently but by no means great. Any team that signs a guy like Prior for more than one season is taking a huge gamble they'll end up eating a lot of money. Someone might give him a better contract for a single season, hoping to catch lightning in a bottle, knowing even if they do he might price himself out of their range in the offseason. Moreover, I don't see a lot of teams taking a big money chance on an injury risk. The market is high this offseason for pitching but, remember what the most important factor in pitchers getting contracts this offseason has been, innings pitched.

 

Wouldn't we have gotten a draft choice if the Cubs had not offered arbritration and Prior left? I forget how that works but depending on how high the choice is, it might have been worth it to let him walk.

 

No. The only way for the Cubs to have gotten rid of Prior was to nontender him in December. Then he would have become a free agent by virtue of that. He is not eligible for six-year free agency and would garner no draft pick in return had he signed elsewhere.

[Amazing_Grace]

No. The only way for the Cubs to have gotten rid of Prior was to nontender him in December. Then he would have become a free agent by virtue of that. He is not eligible for six-year free agency and would garner no draft pick in return had he signed elsewhere.

 

Thanks Bruce, that makes the Cubs decision to offer arbi make a lot more sense to me. Given the decision to spend all out to win this year, you may as well spend a few extra dollars for a high risk, high reward type player rather than get nothing but money saved in the deal.

[A New Era]

Wasn't Prior supposed to be throwing sometime this month? Any word on that or was it just PR bull?

 

 

EDIT: Wow, he is.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070117&content_id=1780798&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

"Mark is up on the hill, throwing some bullpens and doing well," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said Wednesday before boarding a bus with other players and staff for a trip to downstate Illinois.

 

"The reports have been encouraging, and we're all keeping our fingers crossed," Hendry said. "We'd love to show up and have the old Mark back and feel like we have a great, new player come in that we weren't expecting. We wanted to cover ourselves in depth if Mark was behind, but if he's on schedule, we'll feel like we got a bonus."

 

Yeah I posted this earlier. I can't wait what he has to say at the Cubs Convention this weekend.

 

Yeah me either. I thought it was kinda fishy Mark was on the radio interview guest list. I thought if he's not doing so good then why would they subject him to the public and media? They were probably saving this as a positive suprise for cubs fans.

[Outshined_One]

There is a positive point of view you can take towards this. Let's say that Prior is mostly healthy (misses maybe the first month of the season), but his stuff is not at the same level as it was back in 2003, posting something like a 110 ERA+ (above average, but not particularly stellar).

 

Considering he's actually throwing and the Cubs are under the impression that he'll be ready to go, and also considering this insane pitching market, raising his salary a few hundred thousand dollars would be an outright bargain.

 

Perhaps it won't happen, but these reports and the Cubs' recent activities give me some hope.