Cubs will allow Prior to walk

[SouthSideRyan]

For the record, according to BR, Prior made ~15M while pitching for the Cubs. He certainly more than earned the salary he took from them. I'm damn sick and tired of hearing about how Prior was stealing money from the Cubs while rehabbing after being one of the best pitchers in the majors in '03 and being damn above average in '04 and '05.

 

This whole thing just sickens me.

[imb]

“I’m just an employee. The goal now is to go down and help that team win and try to make the Triple-A All-Star team. Maybe I can get invited to the Futures Game or something. I’m still 26.”

 

 

Hahhahahaha, if somebody gritty and Texan said that he'd be a total team player, but since he's some Cal-eye-forn-eye-aaaaa pretty boy, he's not a team player.

 

I heard that his teammates nicknamed him sunshine

[MPrior]

For the record, according to BR, Prior made ~15M while pitching for the Cubs. He certainly more than earned the salary he took from them. I'm damn sick and tired of hearing about how Prior was stealing money from the Cubs while rehabbing after being one of the best pitchers in the majors in '03 and being damn above average in '04 and '05.

 

This whole thing just sickens me.

 

I'm not happy about Prior leaving either (I have, after all, retained my handle this whole time), but I still cracked a smile at the use of the phrase "damn above average."

 

 

 

I agree with your overall point, though.

[CUBZ99]

For the record, according to BR, Prior made ~15M while pitching for the Cubs. He certainly more than earned the salary he took from them. I'm damn sick and tired of hearing about how Prior was stealing money from the Cubs while rehabbing after being one of the best pitchers in the majors in '03 and being damn above average in '04 and '05.

 

This whole thing just sickens me.

 

For the last couple years Hendry would have been better off throwing Prior's money down a wishing well and wishing that the Cubs would win. It would have been just as effective.

[Sammy Sofa]

For the record, according to BR, Prior made ~15M while pitching for the Cubs. He certainly more than earned the salary he took from them. I'm damn sick and tired of hearing about how Prior was stealing money from the Cubs while rehabbing after being one of the best pitchers in the majors in '03 and being damn above average in '04 and '05.

 

This whole thing just sickens me.

 

2003 alone was worth $15 million.

[cubbyvirus00]

“I’m just an employee. The goal now is to go down and help that team win and try to make the Triple-A All-Star team. Maybe I can get invited to the Futures Game or something. I’m still 26.”

 

 

Hahhahahaha, if somebody gritty and Texan said that he'd be a total team player, but since he's some Cal-eye-forn-eye-aaaaa pretty boy, he's not a team player.

\

 

 

No...everybody would call him a Hillbilly.

 

 

The funniest thing about this, is that 2008 will be his rehab year, and he prolly wont pitch more then 5 games, or pitch AT ALL. So with that being said, guessing he'll pitch in 2009.....he woulden't have pitched a complete full season in what...........6 YEARS!!!

 

People are sad, that the Cubs aren't giving him a 2-3 year deal. Excuse me but.....hahahahaha. Hes gonna mooch in 2008, and in 2009 MAY have the health to actually pitch. Sorry, but with him mooching 1 year, and then not pitching a full complete season in 6 years.......GOODBYE!

[OleMissCub]

http://i.cnn.net/si/si_online/covers/images/2003/0707_large.jpg

 

 

 

 

http://www.gifflix.com/data/media/81/thecreepyburgerking2io.jpg

[CUBZ99]

http://i.cnn.net/si/si_online/covers/images/2003/0707_large.jpg

 

 

 

 

http://www.gifflix.com/data/media/81/thecreepyburgerking2io.jpg

 

 

:lol:

[Abe Frohman]

Sure, it's frustrating that Prior was injured for the past few years - and he was injured. It sucks, it's ironic, and it is not Prior's fault.

 

I have no problem saying I am PISSED about this move by the Cubs management - but I am going to stop and realize that I have absolutely zero knowledge about the true relationship between Mark Prior and the Chicago Cubs front office.

 

Prior was one of baseball's best young pitchers, and he was a Cub. In my opinion, his 2003 performance was the best season that a Cub pitcher has had, or that I have seen for that matter.

 

This is a big loss....

[CUBZ99]

Sure, it's frustrating that Prior was injured for the past few years - and he was injured. It sucks, it's ironic, and it is not Prior's fault.

 

I have no problem saying I am PISSED about this move by the Cubs management - but I am going to stop and realize that I have absolutely zero knowledge about the true relationship between Mark Prior and the Chicago Cubs front office.

 

Prior was one of baseball's best young pitchers, and he was a Cub. In my opinion, his 2003 performance was the best season that a Cub pitcher has had, or that I have seen for that matter.

 

This is a big loss....

 

Prior of 2003 is a big loss, Prior of 2006, 2007 is no loss at all.

[Abe Frohman]

 

Prior of 2003 is a big loss, Prior of 2006, 2007 is no loss at all.

 

It was a loss of money. IF he gets healthy and productive, I think today's decision is going to be regrettable.

[XZero771679666304]

All right, here's my two cents.

 

I am saddened and disappointed that Prior's time with the Cubs ended at all, much less this way. I believe he was unfairly maligned by the fans, and treated poorly by the team, and it makes me angry.

 

However, it is water under the bridge from a business standpoint. As the offseason progressed, it became clear Prior no longer wanted to be a Cub. He wouldn't accept a two year deal, and there was little chance at all that he would contribute more than half a season in 2008. And after that, you could be sure he was going to leave. I thought perhaps Mark would sign a 2-year deal, and enjoy a renaissance in the second half of 2008 and 2009, and maybe repair the relationship, but it wasn't going to happen.

 

You can be angry and bitter at the organization for letting this become what it did (lord knows I am), but you cannot fault Hendry for this move in and of itself. You couldn't pay Mark three million dollars to rehab rehab for half a season and then work his kinks out the other half just to watch him leave, which he certainly would have.

 

Non-tendering him was the smart move, though it was precipitated by years of poor ones.

[Hosak8]

For the record, according to BR, Prior made ~15M while pitching for the Cubs. He certainly more than earned the salary he took from them. I'm damn sick and tired of hearing about how Prior was stealing money from the Cubs while rehabbing after being one of the best pitchers in the majors in '03 and being damn above average in '04 and '05.

 

This whole thing just sickens me.

 

A 4.02 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP is "damn above average"?

 

I get that in 2003, the kid was just dominant. In 2005, he was pretty good as well. 2004 might count as decent, though a #2 pitcher racking up those numbers in less than 120 IP hardly counts as "damn above average."

 

Hell, if you're gonna trumpet Prior's good years, you're much better off pointing out 2002 than you are pointing out 2004.

[Sammy Sofa]

“I’m just an employee. The goal now is to go down and help that team win and try to make the Triple-A All-Star team. Maybe I can get invited to the Futures Game or something. I’m still 26.”

 

 

Hahhahahaha, if somebody gritty and Texan said that he'd be a total team player, but since he's some Cal-eye-forn-eye-aaaaa pretty boy, he's not a team player.

\

 

 

No...everybody would call him a Hillbilly.

 

 

The funniest thing about this, is that 2008 will be his rehab year, and he prolly wont pitch more then 5 games, or pitch AT ALL. So with that being said, guessing he'll pitch in 2009.....he woulden't have pitched a complete full season in what...........6 YEARS!!!

 

People are sad, that the Cubs aren't giving him a 2-3 year deal. Excuse me but.....hahahahaha. Hes gonna mooch in 2008, and in 2009 MAY have the health to actually pitch. Sorry, but with him mooching 1 year, and then not pitching a full complete season in 6 years.......GOODBYE!

 

So was D-Lee a "mooch" in 2006? What specific time limit dtermines who is simply injured and who is a "mooch?"

[cubbyvirus00]

“I’m just an employee. The goal now is to go down and help that team win and try to make the Triple-A All-Star team. Maybe I can get invited to the Futures Game or something. I’m still 26.”

 

 

Hahhahahaha, if somebody gritty and Texan said that he'd be a total team player, but since he's some Cal-eye-forn-eye-aaaaa pretty boy, he's not a team player.

\

 

 

No...everybody would call him a Hillbilly.

 

 

The funniest thing about this, is that 2008 will be his rehab year, and he prolly wont pitch more then 5 games, or pitch AT ALL. So with that being said, guessing he'll pitch in 2009.....he woulden't have pitched a complete full season in what...........6 YEARS!!!

 

People are sad, that the Cubs aren't giving him a 2-3 year deal. Excuse me but.....hahahahaha. Hes gonna mooch in 2008, and in 2009 MAY have the health to actually pitch. Sorry, but with him mooching 1 year, and then not pitching a full complete season in 6 years.......GOODBYE!

 

So was D-Lee a "mooch" in 2006? What specific time limit dtermines who is simply injured and who is a "mooch?"

 

He becomes a mooch by thinking green and wanting a big deal with alot of money. He becomes a mooch by knowing that hes gonna sit out half a season, and rehab the other half, but still wanting more money elsewhere.

 

I dont think he'll sign with the Padres. The Padres are a cheap franchise, and he could've gotten more money with us. I bet he ends up on a big market team willing to throw him bucks.

 

This is a person that could've stayed a Chicago Cub, but thinks he can get money and years elsewhere.

[Sammy Sofa]

For the record, according to BR, Prior made ~15M while pitching for the Cubs. He certainly more than earned the salary he took from them. I'm damn sick and tired of hearing about how Prior was stealing money from the Cubs while rehabbing after being one of the best pitchers in the majors in '03 and being damn above average in '04 and '05.

 

This whole thing just sickens me.

 

A 4.02 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP is "damn above average"?

 

I get that in 2003, the kid was just dominant. In 2005, he was pretty good as well. 2004 might count as decent, though a #2 pitcher racking up those numbers in less than 120 IP hardly counts as "damn above average."

 

Hell, if you're gonna trumpet Prior's good years, you're much better off pointing out 2002 than you are pointing out 2004.

 

I'd happily take Prior at what he'll likely make for those 2004 numbers over guys like Marquis or Dempster. And the end of the 2004 season he was clearly back on track. Besides, he was making peanuts. Rating him as a "#2" starter is ultimately meaningless. If he was being paid to be one, alright, fine...but he was being paid a tiny sum in MLB terms.

[Sammy Sofa]

“I’m just an employee. The goal now is to go down and help that team win and try to make the Triple-A All-Star team. Maybe I can get invited to the Futures Game or something. I’m still 26.”

 

 

Hahhahahaha, if somebody gritty and Texan said that he'd be a total team player, but since he's some Cal-eye-forn-eye-aaaaa pretty boy, he's not a team player.

\

 

 

No...everybody would call him a Hillbilly.

 

 

The funniest thing about this, is that 2008 will be his rehab year, and he prolly wont pitch more then 5 games, or pitch AT ALL. So with that being said, guessing he'll pitch in 2009.....he woulden't have pitched a complete full season in what...........6 YEARS!!!

 

People are sad, that the Cubs aren't giving him a 2-3 year deal. Excuse me but.....hahahahaha. Hes gonna mooch in 2008, and in 2009 MAY have the health to actually pitch. Sorry, but with him mooching 1 year, and then not pitching a full complete season in 6 years.......GOODBYE!

 

So was D-Lee a "mooch" in 2006? What specific time limit dtermines who is simply injured and who is a "mooch?"

 

He becomes a mooch by thinking green and wanting a big deal with alot of money. He becomes a mooch by knowing that hes gonna sit out half a season, and rehab the other half, but still wanting more money elsewhere.

 

I dont think he'll sign with the Padres. The Padres are a cheap franchise, and he could've gotten more money with us. I bet he ends up on a big market team willing to throw him bucks.

 

This is a person that could've stayed a Chicago Cub, but thinks he can get money and years elsewhere.

 

So, in short, you're going to completely guess or make everything up.

[Hosak8]

For the record, according to BR, Prior made ~15M while pitching for the Cubs. He certainly more than earned the salary he took from them. I'm damn sick and tired of hearing about how Prior was stealing money from the Cubs while rehabbing after being one of the best pitchers in the majors in '03 and being damn above average in '04 and '05.

 

This whole thing just sickens me.

 

A 4.02 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP is "damn above average"?

 

I get that in 2003, the kid was just dominant. In 2005, he was pretty good as well. 2004 might count as decent, though a #2 pitcher racking up those numbers in less than 120 IP hardly counts as "damn above average."

 

Hell, if you're gonna trumpet Prior's good years, you're much better off pointing out 2002 than you are pointing out 2004.

 

I'd happily take Prior at what he'll likely make for those 2004 numbers over guys like Marquis or Dempster. And the end of the 2004 season he was clearly back on track. Besides, he was making peanuts. Rating him as a "#2" starter is ultimately meaningless. If he was being paid to be one, alright, fine...but he was being paid a tiny sum in MLB terms.

 

Yeah, you would. You'd pay him $2 million, hoping that once he finally is able to pitch again in July that somehow, magically, after not pitching in almost two years that he'll duplicate what he did FOUR YEARS AGO.

 

Only a Cubs fan could even dream something like this up....

[cubbyvirus00]

“I’m just an employee. The goal now is to go down and help that team win and try to make the Triple-A All-Star team. Maybe I can get invited to the Futures Game or something. I’m still 26.”

 

 

Hahhahahaha, if somebody gritty and Texan said that he'd be a total team player, but since he's some Cal-eye-forn-eye-aaaaa pretty boy, he's not a team player.

\

 

 

No...everybody would call him a Hillbilly.

 

 

The funniest thing about this, is that 2008 will be his rehab year, and he prolly wont pitch more then 5 games, or pitch AT ALL. So with that being said, guessing he'll pitch in 2009.....he woulden't have pitched a complete full season in what...........6 YEARS!!!

 

People are sad, that the Cubs aren't giving him a 2-3 year deal. Excuse me but.....hahahahaha. Hes gonna mooch in 2008, and in 2009 MAY have the health to actually pitch. Sorry, but with him mooching 1 year, and then not pitching a full complete season in 6 years.......GOODBYE!

 

So was D-Lee a "mooch" in 2006? What specific time limit dtermines who is simply injured and who is a "mooch?"

 

He becomes a mooch by thinking green and wanting a big deal with alot of money. He becomes a mooch by knowing that hes gonna sit out half a season, and rehab the other half, but still wanting more money elsewhere.

 

I dont think he'll sign with the Padres. The Padres are a cheap franchise, and he could've gotten more money with us. I bet he ends up on a big market team willing to throw him bucks.

 

This is a person that could've stayed a Chicago Cub, but thinks he can get money and years elsewhere.

 

So, in short, you're going to completely guess or make everything up.

 

 

Wrong. Its a fact he won't pitch until July. And its a fact that once he comes back, he'll be rehabbing.

 

Its a fact that he snubbed the Chicago Cubs as a result of a contract dispute.

[cubbyvirus00]

For the record, according to BR, Prior made ~15M while pitching for the Cubs. He certainly more than earned the salary he took from them. I'm damn sick and tired of hearing about how Prior was stealing money from the Cubs while rehabbing after being one of the best pitchers in the majors in '03 and being damn above average in '04 and '05.

 

This whole thing just sickens me.

 

A 4.02 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP is "damn above average"?

 

I get that in 2003, the kid was just dominant. In 2005, he was pretty good as well. 2004 might count as decent, though a #2 pitcher racking up those numbers in less than 120 IP hardly counts as "damn above average."

 

Hell, if you're gonna trumpet Prior's good years, you're much better off pointing out 2002 than you are pointing out 2004.

 

I'd happily take Prior at what he'll likely make for those 2004 numbers over guys like Marquis or Dempster. And the end of the 2004 season he was clearly back on track. Besides, he was making peanuts. Rating him as a "#2" starter is ultimately meaningless. If he was being paid to be one, alright, fine...but he was being paid a tiny sum in MLB terms.

 

Yeah, you would. You'd pay him $2 million, hoping that once he finally is able to pitch again in July that somehow, magically, after not pitching in almost two years that he'll duplicate what he did FOUR YEARS AGO.

 

Only a Cubs fan could even dream something like this up....

 

 

Amen.

[OleMissCub]

In my opinion, his 2003 performance was the best season that a Cub pitcher has had, or that I have seen for that matter.

 

Hmmm, that got me thinking. Wanted to look at some of the best season's Cubs pitchers have ever had.

 

In no order:

 

Three Finger Brown, 1906: 26-6, 1.04 ERA, 253 ERA+, 0.934 WHIP

 

Greg Maddux, 1992: 20-11, 2.18 ERA, 166 ERA+, 1.011 WHIP

 

Mark Prior, 2003: 18-6, 2.43 ERA, 178 ERA+, 1.103 WHIP

 

Hippo Vaughn, 1918: 22-10, 1.74 ERA, 161 ERA+, 1.006 WHIP

 

Ferguson Jenkins, 1971: 24-13, 2.77 ERA, 142 ERA+, 1.049 WHIP

 

Bill Hanks, 1969: 20-14, 2.49 ERA, 162 ERA+, 1.137 WHIP

 

Lon Warneke, 1933: 18-13. 2.00 ERA, 163 ERA+, 1.173 WHIP

 

Grover Alexander, 1920: 27-14, 1.91 ERA, 168 ERA+, 1.112 WHIP

 

Dick Ellsworth, 1963: 22-10, 2.11 ERA, 167 ERA+, 1.025 WHIP

[PrimeTime]

Seriosuly, How can you blame the Cubs,Hendry or name the thread this? I'm pretty sure the Cubs gave him a good deal, with the option, maybe it's the hard headed,stubborn Prior who decided to walk and get the heck out of here? The thread should say ..Mark Prior says

" Screw you Cubs Im walking"...I knew ever since he cried saying " Im just an employee here, blah blah" that it was over...He has no loyalty to us, or anything, so what to fuss over? screw him..He was phenomanal back in '03 and pitched well in '04','05, dont get me wrong..But you cannot blame the Cubs for this..He obviously didn't want to be here..You know Henry gave him the money,and the freakin guy has a terrible medical history and hasn't pitched since '06 when he got freakin shelled..We dished out money for him,rehab and everything, thanks for paying us back Mark..Loyalty= Kerry Wood.. Sign your 500,000 contract with the Padres...I hope you back as a starter and to Wrigley and throw your 87MPH fastballs...

[Sammy Sofa]

For the record, according to BR, Prior made ~15M while pitching for the Cubs. He certainly more than earned the salary he took from them. I'm damn sick and tired of hearing about how Prior was stealing money from the Cubs while rehabbing after being one of the best pitchers in the majors in '03 and being damn above average in '04 and '05.

 

This whole thing just sickens me.

 

A 4.02 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP is "damn above average"?

 

I get that in 2003, the kid was just dominant. In 2005, he was pretty good as well. 2004 might count as decent, though a #2 pitcher racking up those numbers in less than 120 IP hardly counts as "damn above average."

 

Hell, if you're gonna trumpet Prior's good years, you're much better off pointing out 2002 than you are pointing out 2004.

 

I'd happily take Prior at what he'll likely make for those 2004 numbers over guys like Marquis or Dempster. And the end of the 2004 season he was clearly back on track. Besides, he was making peanuts. Rating him as a "#2" starter is ultimately meaningless. If he was being paid to be one, alright, fine...but he was being paid a tiny sum in MLB terms.

 

Yeah, you would. You'd pay him $2 million, hoping that once he finally is able to pitch again in July that somehow, magically, after not pitching in almost two years that he'll duplicate what he did FOUR YEARS AGO.

 

Only a Cubs fan could even dream something like this up....

 

Really? For a pitcher as young as he is, with a ceiling as high as his and as much money as this organization has, that's nothing. I'm not looking for "magic" at all...I was hoping tha this club would be able to take a chance on an injured pitcher, as they have many times, for relatively little money, in the hope of some return. The upisde of tha with Prior, as opposed to others they've done it with (Dempster, Williamson, Miller, etc.) is that his ceiling is so high that even a Prior with reduced capability would be incredibly useful, especially at that price. Combine that wih him finally having surgery where something was determined to be wrong and ideally "fixed," it's not too much of a stretch to think he could have possibly been productive at some point in 2008, and cheap. Unfortunately, it appears something gummed up that idea.

 

Please explain what is so fantastic about this. Few people were expecting him to come back and pitch like he did before 2004. But to talk like anything less is useless, especially at how little he would cost, is absurd.

Edited December 13, 2007 by Sammy Sofa

[Sammy Sofa]

“I’m just an employee. The goal now is to go down and help that team win and try to make the Triple-A All-Star team. Maybe I can get invited to the Futures Game or something. I’m still 26.”

 

 

Hahhahahaha, if somebody gritty and Texan said that he'd be a total team player, but since he's some Cal-eye-forn-eye-aaaaa pretty boy, he's not a team player.

\

 

 

No...everybody would call him a Hillbilly.

 

 

The funniest thing about this, is that 2008 will be his rehab year, and he prolly wont pitch more then 5 games, or pitch AT ALL. So with that being said, guessing he'll pitch in 2009.....he woulden't have pitched a complete full season in what...........6 YEARS!!!

 

People are sad, that the Cubs aren't giving him a 2-3 year deal. Excuse me but.....hahahahaha. Hes gonna mooch in 2008, and in 2009 MAY have the health to actually pitch. Sorry, but with him mooching 1 year, and then not pitching a full complete season in 6 years.......GOODBYE!

 

So was D-Lee a "mooch" in 2006? What specific time limit dtermines who is simply injured and who is a "mooch?"

 

He becomes a mooch by thinking green and wanting a big deal with alot of money. He becomes a mooch by knowing that hes gonna sit out half a season, and rehab the other half, but still wanting more money elsewhere.

 

I dont think he'll sign with the Padres. The Padres are a cheap franchise, and he could've gotten more money with us. I bet he ends up on a big market team willing to throw him bucks.

 

This is a person that could've stayed a Chicago Cub, but thinks he can get money and years elsewhere.

 

So, in short, you're going to completely guess or make everything up.

 

 

Wrong. Its a fact he won't pitch until July. And its a fact that once he comes back, he'll be rehabbing.

 

Its a fact that he snubbed the Chicago Cubs as a result of a contract dispute.

 

Nothing you've posted in what I quoted is a "fact."

[cubbyvirus00]

For the record, according to BR, Prior made ~15M while pitching for the Cubs. He certainly more than earned the salary he took from them. I'm damn sick and tired of hearing about how Prior was stealing money from the Cubs while rehabbing after being one of the best pitchers in the majors in '03 and being damn above average in '04 and '05.

 

This whole thing just sickens me.

 

A 4.02 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP is "damn above average"?

 

I get that in 2003, the kid was just dominant. In 2005, he was pretty good as well. 2004 might count as decent, though a #2 pitcher racking up those numbers in less than 120 IP hardly counts as "damn above average."

 

Hell, if you're gonna trumpet Prior's good years, you're much better off pointing out 2002 than you are pointing out 2004.

 

I'd happily take Prior at what he'll likely make for those 2004 numbers over guys like Marquis or Dempster. And the end of the 2004 season he was clearly back on track. Besides, he was making peanuts. Rating him as a "#2" starter is ultimately meaningless. If he was being paid to be one, alright, fine...but he was being paid a tiny sum in MLB terms.

 

Yeah, you would. You'd pay him $2 million, hoping that once he finally is able to pitch again in July that somehow, magically, after not pitching in almost two years that he'll duplicate what he did FOUR YEARS AGO.

 

Only a Cubs fan could even dream something like this up....

 

Really? For a pitcher as young as he is, with a ceiling as high as his and as much money as this organization has, that's nothing. I'm not looking for "magic" at all...I was hoping tha this club would be able to take a chance on an injured pitcher, as they have many times, for relatively little money, in the hope of some return. The upisde of tha with Prior, as opposed to others they've done it with (Dempster, Williamson, Miller, etc.) is that his ceiling is so high that even a Prior with reduced capability would be incredibly useful, especially at that price. Combine that wih him finally having surgery where something was determined to be wrong and ideally "fixed," it's not too much of a stretch to think he could have possibly been productive at some point in 2008, and cheap. Unfortunately, it appears something gummed up that idea.

 

Please explain what is so fantastic about this. Few people were expecting him to come back and pitch like he did before 2004. But to talk like anything less is useless, especially at how little he would cost, is absurd.

 

I think what you're failing to understand, is that money was offered to Prior. Everybody in the world knows that. He didn't accept. For whatever reason Prior walked. If Prior wanted to stay in Chicago, and Hendry turns him down, thats a different story.

 

Prior flat out, wanted a raise. And he was rejected.