Finally, a Mark Prior update

[David]

I was hoping we'd hear something, seeing as how he's been with the team for this AZ series. I really hope he isn't non-tendered this offseason.

 

Anyway, here's a link and a few quotes. Sounds like he's doing well.

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-070825cubsbits,1,803980.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

 

"Right now my main focus is getting back to throwing and feeling good about the way I feel," he said. "Those decisions are kind of out of my hands. I love playing here and I love the guys and I've gotten real close with a lot of these guys here over the last few years.

 

Prior still has six to seven months of rehab left after April's labrum surgery and rotator cuff debridement by Dr. James Andrews.

 

He was told after the surgery that he wouldn't be throwing again for six months, which means Prior will probably start a throwing program in October.

 

He's scheduled to visit Andrews in a couple of weeks to see where he stands.

 

"Every checkpoint they wanted me to be at, I'm either at or ahead of schedule," Prior said. "I feel good."

[Keener98]

I love that first quote from Prior. I also really hope they dont non tender him, it will come back and bite us in the ass.

[kente777]

Prior said he hopes to be ready by spring training, but his only real goal is to be on a throwing program and be ready by Opening Day

 

Sure, Mark. We've seen that movie before.

 

It's nice that he has such high expectations for an Opening Day return. However, I think having Prior back (in 2003 form) by July of next year is a more realistic expectation.

[MPC]

Prior said he hopes to be ready by spring training, but his only real goal is to be on a throwing program and be ready by Opening Day

However, I think having Prior back (in 2003 form) by July of next year is a more realistic expectation.

 

I thinks an unrealistic expectation is to have Mark Prior back in 2003 form at any point ever again.

[Sammy Sofa]

Prior said he hopes to be ready by spring training, but his only real goal is to be on a throwing program and be ready by Opening Day

However, I think having Prior back (in 2003 form) by July of next year is a more realistic expectation.

 

I thinks an unrealistic expectation is to have Mark Prior back in 2003 form at any point ever again.

 

I'd happily take him back in his non-injured 2004 or 2005 forms. Hell, even just sniffing what he did those years is better than Marquis or Marshall.

Edited August 26, 2007 by Sammy Sofa

[XZero771679666304]

Prior said he hopes to be ready by spring training, but his only real goal is to be on a throwing program and be ready by Opening Day

However, I think having Prior back (in 2003 form) by July of next year is a more realistic expectation.

 

I thinks an unrealistic expectation is to have Mark Prior back in 2003 form at any point ever again.

 

Of course it is.

 

But even 70% of what Mark Prior was is still a solid starter.

 

I hope he gets some vindication, and it comes in a Cubs uniform.

[shnsajax]

Prior said he hopes to be ready by spring training, but his only real goal is to be on a throwing program and be ready by Opening Day

However, I think having Prior back (in 2003 form) by July of next year is a more realistic expectation.

 

I thinks an unrealistic expectation is to have Mark Prior back in 2003 form at any point ever again.

 

Until he signs with the Cards :evil:

[Balsa]

I'll never get tired of Prior. I hope he comes back to 2005 form. (before the elbow line drive incident)

[soapy]

Bruce mentioned in his article that he thought Prior would be tendered a contract next season.

[NCCubFan]

I hope Bruce is right. I want to see Prior return to stardom as a Cub.

[apete6]

Let's just say Prior comes back next year and has a Rich Hill/Ted Lilly 2007-like year (~4.00 ERA, 175+Ks), what kind of contract offers does he get?

 

I would say he could get at least 5/$75 out of someone if he doesn't get hurt at all next year. The real question would be, are the Cubs willing to do that?

 

That being said, I can't see him wanting to stay here unless the fans and management absolutely "go down" on him next year...which they probably will.

[Magnetic Curses]

even if they non-tender him, i'll still be rooting for him with another team.

[Brian]

even if they non-tender him, i'll still be rooting for him with another team.

 

Exactly, just like I was with Z, wherever he goes I'll follow him and wish him well. Watching Prior on his game is one of the my favorite things to watch. Hopefully he gets back to that.

[jiml60]

Let's just say Prior comes back next year and has a Rich Hill/Ted Lilly 2007-like year (~4.00 ERA, 175+Ks), what kind of contract offers does he get?

 

I would say he could get at least 5/$75 out of someone if he doesn't get hurt at all next year. The real question would be, are the Cubs willing to do that?

 

That being said, I can't see him wanting to stay here unless the fans and management absolutely "go down" on him next year...which they probably will.

 

I don't think we can speculate what the Cubs are going to do until new ownership sets up shop. Forecasting the future of Hendry, Piniella or any of the players is kind of pointless at this time.

[biittner77]

So if Prior is on schedule and everything with rehab goes well, when could he start pitching again?

 

 

 

Let's just say Prior comes back next year and has a Rich Hill/Ted Lilly 2007-like year (~4.00 ERA, 175+Ks), what kind of contract offers does he get?

 

I would say he could get at least 5/$75 out of someone if he doesn't get hurt at all next year.

 

I don't see anyone giving him a 5 year contract- at least not right away. I could see him getting a 2 year deal with vesting options and the possibility of making that kind of money based on health. Or getting a straight 2 year deal and then parlaying on the field success into a long term contract the way Carpenter did with the Cards.

[Magnetic Curses]

even if they non-tender him, i'll still be rooting for him with another team.

 

Exactly, just like I was with Z, wherever he goes I'll follow him and wish him well. Watching Prior on his game is one of the my favorite things to watch. Hopefully he gets back to that.

 

i just hope it's in the american league. :wink:

[apete6]

I don't see anyone giving him a 5 year contract- at least not right away. I could see him getting a 2 year deal with vesting options and the possibility of making that kind of money based on health. Or getting a straight 2 year deal and then parlaying on the field success into a long term contract the way Carpenter did with the Cards.

 

That's the answer I wanted to hear. Hopefully that 2 year deal is with the Cubs so he can repeat his 2008 World Series MVP season...

 

How sweet would that be, back to back in 07 and 08 Twice!

[Sarcastic]

So if Prior is on schedule and everything with rehab goes well, when could he start pitching again?

 

Some time next year. He's said his goal would be to be ready for opening day, but I wouldn't be surprised if it takes him longer, given his history of problems.

[Little Slide Rooter]

After all the money they've put into Prior, they NEED to get him for at least one more year. Otherwise, its like restoring a '55 Mustang and then leaving it on the side of the road with a FREE sign on the windshield. Either

 

A. he becomes the ace we hoped hed be

B. He becomes a serviceable starter

C. He tanks, and spends the next few seasons signing minor league deals with spring training invites with various teams.

[Illini Iceman]

After all the money they've put into Prior, they NEED to get him for at least one more year. Otherwise, its like restoring a '55 Mustang and then leaving it on the side of the road with a FREE sign on the windshield. Either

 

A. he becomes the ace we hoped hed be

B. He becomes a serviceable starter

C. He tanks, and spends the next few seasons signing minor league deals with spring training invites with various teams.

 

So you are saying he will either be great, average, or suck? That's pretty insightful.

[Sarcastic]

After all the money they've put into Prior, they NEED to get him for at least one more year. Otherwise, its like restoring a '55 Mustang and then leaving it on the side of the road with a FREE sign on the windshield. Either

 

A. he becomes the ace we hoped hed be

B. He becomes a serviceable starter

C. He tanks, and spends the next few seasons signing minor league deals with spring training invites with various teams.

 

So you are saying he will either be great, average, or suck? That's pretty insightful.

 

The important thing to note is the possibility that he can come back and be an effective starter, not something that can be said about too many players. That alone makes it worth giving him a short small contract to see if he can stay healthy. The potential reward, a good starter, is much higher than the risk, $3 million for one year.

[CubRock2]

We're not getting our hopes up for a healthy Mark Prior, are we? :lol:

 

Pardon my realistic/cynical opinion in all the rainbow-y, lemon fresh optimism. But whatever kind of injuries he's had, he's gotten lots of them. Unless the contract is very small (like less than $2 mil), I don't want to waste any more of this organizations time, money, or resources on Mark Prior. I question his desire, but beside that, I just think it's a bad investment. Nice immediate returns, but bleeding ever since then.

 

I'm sick and tired of the Cubs organization, and some if its fans, getting their hopes up on Prior.

[Sarcastic]

We're not getting our hopes up for a healthy Mark Prior, are we? :lol:

 

Pardon my realistic/cynical opinion in all the rainbow-y, lemon fresh optimism. But whatever kind of injuries he's had, he's gotten lots of them. Unless the contract is very small (like less than $2 mil), I don't want to waste any more of this organizations time, money, or resources on Mark Prior. I question his desire, but beside that, I just think it's a bad investment. Nice immediate returns, but bleeding ever since then.

 

I'm sick and tired of the Cubs organization, and some if its fans, getting their hopes up on Prior.

 

You can question his desire all you want, but you have no evidence, so that is irrelevant.

 

I think there is a strong chance that he will never be an effective starter again, but for a team with a $100 million payroll, I can think of many worse investments than $3 million to find out if Prior can come back. If he can't remain healthy next year, then let him go.

[slieb85]

We're not getting our hopes up for a healthy Mark Prior, are we? :lol:

 

Pardon my realistic/cynical opinion in all the rainbow-y, lemon fresh optimism. But whatever kind of injuries he's had, he's gotten lots of them. Unless the contract is very small (like less than $2 mil), I don't want to waste any more of this organizations time, money, or resources on Mark Prior. I question his desire, but beside that, I just think it's a bad investment. Nice immediate returns, but bleeding ever since then.

 

I'm sick and tired of the Cubs organization, and some if its fans, getting their hopes up on Prior.

 

You can question his desire all you want, but you have no evidence, so that is irrelevant.

 

I think there is a strong chance that he will never be an effective starter again, but for a team with a $100 million payroll, I can think of many worse investments than $3 million to find out if Prior can come back. If he can't remain healthy next year, then let him go.

 

No kidding, I keep reading in this thread and the Wood thread how the money for the two of them "isn't worth it". If we gave woody and prior a total of $7 Mil for next year, it will be like 5-7% of our payroll, and will not be to tough to swallow if both are not good or not healthy as we have a pretty good rotation and good young arms for the pen. However if woody continues to be healthy and pitches well (he's had some wicked stuff a few times out there) he's well worth 2-3 mil (since demp is making 5.15 jones is making 5.33 howry is making 4, eyre is making 3.66, blanco is making 2.8). And in the case of Prior we've invested a ton of time and energy into him and it would be silly to just give up on him when his pay is going to be like 3.5% of our payroll and he has the potential to really really help this team next year. You can say it's wasted money, but it's not your money so who really cares, i think both prior and wood are better than most guys we can get for 3 mil and 1 year.

 

If they struggle, we have the rotation from this year, plus Guz and Gallagher and possibly Mateo for when injuries arise. We have Rapada, Petrick, Pignatello, Cherry, Weurtz and Marmol that can fill in the pen nicely all making about the minimum. 2 of our SP's make the minimum as does (hopefully) or CF and SS and C. Possibly one other of our OF's could be making essentially the minimum. We've shown we have the pieces in the farm for a solid bench (fox, soto?, murton, pagan, patterson, moore, etc). What I'd like to see us do is move away from Cliff Floydesque signings and use our farm for our bench +2-3 starters, keep the rotation as is with the 3 previously mentioned guys as good fill-ins + prior (who is a complete wild card), keep the bullpen young with the minimum guys and move away jones, eyre, ohman, floyd, ward, etc to shave payroll there. Also I would get rid of Dempster to the highest bidder. My opening day roster would look something like this

 

Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, Murton, Pie, Theriot, Derosa, Soto, Blanco, Fox, Pagan, Fontenot, cedeno.

 

Z, Hill, Lilly, Marhsall, Marquis

 

Rapada, Marmol, Howry, Weurtz, Petrick, Pignatello, and Wood.

 

Let Cherry be in AAA for a potential call up guy along with mateo and gallagher, and Prior start off the year with no pressure (same with Guz). Use Demp, Jones and Eyre, OHman to get a few other prospects or spin off a guy like Murton and Demp for a good outfield bat and you have your team and it only costs you about 94 Mil (assuming about 7mil between wood and prior), so obvioulsy you could trade for another bat (which would be my preferrence to get murton and some sort of pitcher out of here for an OF bat)

Edited August 28, 2007 by slieb85

[davearm]

Perhaps the biggest advantage to hiring a new GM from outside the organization would be that such a person could be expected to make decisions on guys like Wood and Prior without the burden of sentimentality and nostalgia clouding the process.

 

Now I'm not saying these two should or shouldn't be retained.

 

Just make the choice a fully forward-looking, objective one, and completely absent of memories of 2003 and whatever preconceived expectations were once held for these guys.