http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-cubs-prior13dec13,1,6306419.story A Cubs career that began with a bang ended with a whimper Wednesday for one-time ace Mark Prior. Two hours before the 11 p.m. deadline to offer arbitration to eligible players, general manager Jim Hendry non-tendered Prior, allowing him to leave via free agency at age 27. Prior leaves Chicago with a career record of 42-29 and a 3.51 earned-run average, numbers that normally would have earned him a lucrative multiyear contract on par with Jason Marquis' three-year, $21 million deal. Instead, he's off to an uncertain future, perhaps in his hometown of San Diego, with a rehabbing right shoulder and incentive to prove the Cubs gave up on him too soon.
Prior is like Pennington. So much potential, but made of crystal so delicate only Swarovsky could match it.
Despite that, signing him for the back end of your rotation is a no brainer. He's 27 years old and his K/9 has always been astounding. I'd be a lot more comfortable having an injury prone Prior in the back of the rotation than going into the season with Pelfrey, Humber, and El Duque competing for spots. -X-
Well, it's a good thing for me I have Wang, Pettitte, Hughes, Chamberlain, and Mussina/Kennedy rounding out mine. :wink:
he has a lot of upside, which is why I don't get why the Cubs non-tendered him. They couldn't have traded him? I know they're fed up with dealing with him, but I don't think this was the right move.
