If Livan Hernandez wants to pitch, he's the best option available. He's a horse, and he's a legit 3rd, if not 2nd starter. I know that last year he was thinking about retirement, and acting like his heart wasn't in baseball, but if it is, I'd love to have him. In the Astros' condition, he might be a guy you overpay for a couple of years just to make sure to get him.
Folks, I think we're missing the most important thing in all this FA pitcher talk, and that is that Kris Benson brings along: Anna Benson. Took me a while to find an image that was good enough without getting me banned.
Didn't she beat the **** out of Kris? If so, we need someone like her in the stands for those ******* annoying cubfans
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3158954 Report: Astros extend offer to free agent Prior It looks like Mark Prior won't be on the market for very long. Cut loose by the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, Prior received an offer from the Houston Astros on Monday, according to the Houston Chronicle. "We've got an offer out to him at this point and time," Houston general manager Ed Wade told the newspaper. "I got a sense that we're in the relatively early stages. Yeah, we got on board with that one." According to the newspaper, Wade won't discuss the specifics of offers the Astros make. Scouts around baseball, however, think Prior will ink an incentive-laced, one-year deal before testing free agency again after the season. Drafted second overall in the 2001 draft, the Cubs declined to offer Prior a 2008 contract after he missed the 2007 season while recovering from arthrosopic surgery on his right shoulder. He made $3,575,000 last season. Prior, who finished third in NL Cy Young voting in 2003, is 42-29 with a 3.51 ERA lifetime. In 2006, Prior went 1-6 in just nine appearances. Other teams have shown interest in Prior, including the Washington Nationals, New York Yankees and San Diego Padres.
Unless he fixes his mechanics, personally, I'd stay away. He has major flaws that are only going to lead to more problems. Yes, the way Baker and the Cubs handled pitchers was bad, but many of his issues were due to poor mechanics. Check out this study on his mechanics which are largely unchanged.
Is her threat of sleeping with the team and staff if he cheats on her still in effect? If so, I gotta get a job as a ballboy or something and then spend my money on hookers for Kris.
Last I had heard she had dropped her divorce claim and they had reconciled. And I second Cannonball's assertion.
Yeah. The astros would probably have two of the best hitting pitchers in the majors with Hernandez and Backe.
Everything I've seen indicates that Prior won't be ready for competitive pitching until half way through the season. So best scenario is 1/2 season of competitive pitching. And from what I read, he couldn't work out anything with the Cubs because the Cubs demanded a team option for a second year. So I think some people might be expecting a bit much out of Prior. He'd be a nice pickup, but you aren't going to get 32 starts or a super club-friendly deal from him.
The most I would do is 2 year INCENTIVES up the yang based deal plus a team option for a 3rd. The reason I'd do a 2 year deal is because he won't be ready to go until May I think. If he does well, we have him for another year. If he gets injured, then the incentives prevent him from getting paid for nothing during the second year.
Yeah, he'll give you 200 innings..200 innings of crappiness. Last year he pitched 204 1/3 innings, allowed 247 hits and 79 walks, while striking out only 90 for an ERA of 4.93. Those are not the kind of numbers I am looking for.
The guy who runs mlbtraderumors says he got an email from Rusch's agency saying he's definately a Padre. I don't know why they would contact him and not McTag since he's the guy saying Rusch is still a FA. It's a shame Anna Benson didn't divorce Kris, that would have put her one giant leap closer to posing for playboy.
No, but 255 innings with 234 hits, 83 walks, 186 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.60 with 9 complete games would be nice.
astros actually have a reasonable shot at Prior because why would he go to a big market team with a deep rotation where he will stay in the minors rehabing longer than he would for a weak rotation. Prior wants as many innings in the bigs next season as possible for his big pay day in FA. 1 year 1-2 million would be reasonable. he will probably start 12-15 games... hell of a lot cheaper than clemens.
I've heard that but I don't know where those reports came from so I don't know whether to trust them or not. Still, if I'm the Astros, I want verification that he's still got some heat. But I guess that's what the incentives are for.
