Mark Prior

[Snakes Gould]

my question is why wouldnt teams sign him to an incentive based contract upwards to 10 million per or something similar? hell id go as far as giving him 15 million if he reached 200 ip, because if he did, we all know he'd be successful. i just dont see why the cubs would let him walk without getting anything in return. on yahoo, i read up to 11 teams were interested in signing him to a 1 year deal, which makes complete sense. if 11 teams were interested, they couldnt get 2 mid-level prospects or something similar? to me, he just has so much left in the tank whenever he gets healthy.

[Lofunzo]

Sometimes, if it walks like a duck, it's a duck. I guess that they just wanted to finally cut their losses.

[AussieDodger]

It should really be 29 teams interested (the Marlins can't even afford this).
The other 18 teams are delusional if this is an incentive based contract.
Guarantee him $2-$3 mil at the very most and he's all yours.
I'm sure a very clever/creative GM could get this done.
Or a dumb one could just throw $15 mil at him. I'm talking about you Sabean.

[JTWood]

I think the Cardinals were salivating at the news that the Cubs and Prior had gone separate ways.

On a personal note, if the Cards signed and turned Prior into a serviceable pitcher the year after the Cubs "took" Marquis from us, I think I might explode in delight. It could be one of the sweetest joys my life has ever known.

[AussieDodger]

I think the Cardinals were salivating at the news that the Cubs and Prior had gone separate ways.

On a personal note, if the Cards signed and turned Prior into a serviceable pitcher the year after the Cubs "took" Marquis from us, I think I might explode in delight. It could be one of the sweetest joys my life has ever known.

I would take that swap any day of the week.

Marquis must have a magnificent agent:

Jason Marquis rhp
3 years/$21M (2007-09)

* signed as a free agent 12/06
* 07:$4.75M, 08:$6.375M, 09:$9.875M

Guaranteed $9.875 mil in '09?
Pardon?

[JTWood]

Marquis must have a magnificent agent:

No. The Cubs are just dumb.

[mak1277]

Guarantee him $2-$3 mil at the very most and he's all yours.
I'm sure a very clever/creative GM could get this done.
Or a dumb one could just throw $15 mil at him. I'm talking about you Sabean.

There's no way Prior's signing for $2 or $3 million. If that were the case, you're right, every team should be interested. Look at the deal Gagne got last year despite his prior year arm troubles.

Prior's getting $5 million minimum, you can take it to the bank.

[Yoda]

It would be a miracle if Prior somehow came back pitching like he did. Cubbies, despite their mismanagement of Prior, would know his medical condition better than any team out there and if they didn't think he can recover and be helpful, then I am very skeptical of him coming back.

[stumpak]

Given Ed Wade's off-season so far, is it any shock that the Astros are supposedly the most interested?

[The Cow]

In a market where Carlos Silva can get 4 yr 44 mil, I think it is very reasonable to think that a team would throw 5 mil or more at Prior and see if it sticks. Eric Gagne was in a similar boat last year and got an 8 mil deal. I think Prior's problems are a little worse than Gagne's but who knows?

The Cow