I said "the most" I would give him is 2 years. I WANT the one year deal. I'd prefer it as a GM. but if I'm Prior, I'm looking for as long a contract as I can get. If I know for sure I'm only pitching half a season's worth to prove my value, then I'm dealing with a lot of pressure. I'd take him (and prefer) to sign him to a 1 year deal
i have hardcore cubs fan friends. he told me to try to find the story about mark prior's genetic joint looseness...and i just found it. http://www.suntimes.com/sports/mariotti/359176,CST-SPT-jay26.article Sounds like a waste of time and money.
Nice to have an aggressive GM for a change. As if we didnt notice before, but this makes you marvel at Tim Purpura's inability to do this job...
I like the idea of bringing two more guys in, the way I see it after Oswalt and Backe the other three jobs are up for grabs. It would not be the worst thing in the world if Wandy or Sampson had to go to the pen and when someone goes down for a while be able to step in.
Id give Prior a shot for the right deal...but i think we need to grab Livan if we can fit him in as well.
Updates from Ken Rosenthal http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7581498 Logic dictates that the Padres are Mark Prior's first choice. Not only is he from San Diego, but he also might thrive by staying in the National League and pitching at spacious Petco Park. Prior, however, is seeking a combination of the right situation and right contract. If the Padres, who are nearing their payroll limit, get significantly outbid, it will force him to make a decision. The Astros and Rangers, sources say, are among the teams aggressively pursuing Prior, who became a free agent after the Cubs declined to offer him a contract. The Cardinals, Mets and Yankees are among the other teams interested. Prior, recovering from shoulder surgery, is not expected to pitch in the majors before mid-May. His goal is to sign a one-year deal, then re-enter the free-agent market in a stronger position next off-season. The Padres' problem is that the Jim Edmonds trade increased their payroll to $73 million, $2 million below their limit. The team, which is likely to play Scott Hairston and possibly Chase Headley in left field rather than sign free agent Geoff Jenkins, would want Prior to accept a San Diego discount. The Mets or Yankees surely could offer Prior more money. The Astros and Cardinals might, too. But after his turbulent years in Chicago, Prior might prefer the relative cocoon offered by the low-key San Diego market. The Padres' rotation already features righties Jake Peavy, Greg Maddux and Chris Young along with lefty Randy Wolf. Lefty Glendon Rusch, who recently signed a minor-league contract, is another possibility.
Astros are still in on Prior and Benson...looks like we're on the short lists. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/sports/5395614.html Prior's agent: Astros high on list By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ Mark Prior's agent gives the Astros high marks in their pursuit of the righthander, but it's clear Houston will have to overcome some serious geography issues if it beats out the San Diego Padres. "The Astros have been very fair," Prior's agent, John Boggs, said via phone. "He'll really have to decide what's really the best place for him. Mark actually is out of town. He's trying to deliberate what direction he's going to go in." Prior missed the 2007 season and is recovering from right shoulder surgery. On Thursday he was in Birmingham, Ala., doing what Boggs termed "another follow-up rehab," but he has done most of his rehab in his native San Diego. At this point, Prior's rehab has progressed to the point that he's throwing off flat ground (not from a mound) at 105 feet. "Barring any setback, he'll possibly be major-league ready by the end of May," Boggs said. "He's doing fine. The progress reports are all positive." Prior, 27, was the second overall pick of the Chicago Cubs in the 2001 draft. When healthy, he's been considered one of the best young pitchers in baseball. He became a free agent after the Cubs declined to tender him a contract by the Dec. 12 deadline. "No matter what happens, I think the Astros are right up there as far as Mark's concerned," Boggs said. Nonetheless, Boggs cautioned that the West Coast "obviously" would have an edge as a landing spot because of Prior's roots. "The Padres obviously at this point probably have the inside track just because he's from San Diego; he does his rehab here," Boggs said. Boggs has made it clear to all the interested clubs that Prior is looking to sign only a one-year deal "because we feel very confident that after this year he'll be pretty sought after in the free agent market in '09." The Astros also are trying to land righthander Kris Benson, who also is coming off shoulder surgery. Benson, who threw for scouts on Monday, is on schedule to throw with all the pitchers at the start of spring training in February. "Houston is definitely a team Kris is considering, especially with Ed Wade, who obviously has a history of having a commitment to win," said Benson's agent, Gregg Clifton. "With my experience with Ed and describing that to Kris I know Houston's a great city and a strong baseball town. Kris will definitely give Houston strong consideration."
Your first mistake would be reading an Ortiz article. He has about as much inside knowledge into the Astros as any one of us who posts on here.
So you think the quotes from Benson & Prior's agents are made up? Or that they are not true because Ortiz included them? If we all have as much info as him, why had no one posted them before that article?
It's a direct quote...if it's completely fabricated then I'd imagine he'd be fired. It's one thing to say, 'well it looks like Houston is on the top of Prior's list according to some sources.' It's another to recite, word for word what the actual source said, whose name is also printed in the article. So I'd be more inclined to believe the agent is lying before Ortiz.
Come on. Ortiz is often unreliable, but he's not going to fabricate quotes... he'd be fired in a heartbeat if he did. That said, read between the lines... unless the Astros blow them out of the water with an offer (and not sure that's wise with Mark Prior), he's going to San Diego.
Agreed. He is saying what agents say to make sure their clients get the best deal possible. I would say that they might say the same things about every other team pursuing them. No where did there seem to be a remark about either one being close to signing with Houston.
Agreed. There was very little Ortiz commentary in there, which is how I like it. Though, it sounds like San Diego isn't as interested as Prior hoped. With Peavy, Young, and Maddux as 3 sure-fire starters plus Randy Wolf as the four and Clay Hensley, Justin Germano, and now Glendon Rusch and Shawn Estes in the mix at the 5, they may not have the same opportunity for him, especially given their payroll constraints. Anyhow, Olney is reporting on ESPN the Padres are the frontrunners, and he'll make a decision in the next 24-48 hours. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3164011
Na, the original poster misunderstood what I meant. You can find most of the quotes that he put in his article in an AP article somewhere. Its not like Ortiz actually talked to the agents on his own. Which is why I said any poster on this board could write an article as well as he can. Sorry, I just don't put much weight into Ortiz commentary. To each their own though.
The hell are you talking about? NIKE posted the article because it had new information. You replied "Your first mistake would be reading an Ortiz article. He has about as much inside knowledge into the Astros as any one of us who posts on here." implying that the information was either somehow incorrect or that it was posted for the insight. Whether or not he could have found the same quotes in an AP article is irrelevant. Who gives a rat's ass - it's a direct quote from the agent. Why should he have bothered to find an article from the AP?
Uh, well sorry dude, that is your opinion that I "implied the information was incorrect or posted for the insight" You are missing the boat on what I meant. It was a half-joke that someone quoted an Ortiz article, the guy is a joke. Its my own personal vendetta against Ortiz, relax a bit. I didn't say NIKE should have found an article from AP, what I said was that Ortiz took the quotes from an AP article and put them in his own editorial. The guy has pretty much zero access to the Astros. Which.. again.. is why I said any one of us could write an article as well as Ortiz can. Lighten up guy, just some joking around.
Actually, those quotes are pretty specific to the Astros, and there's no credit given to AP anywhere. It sounds like he got them from Berman, to be honest. But, to me it looks like he picked up the phone, called the guys, and got some quotes. They've had him on ESPN before, I'd imagine he's a little more connected in that area than you or I. But since you're so sure, why don't you go find the AP article he took them from? Look, no one is defending Ortiz as a good sportswriter. When he opens his mouth with his own opinions, no one cares. And believe me, Ortiz gets flamed on this board as much as anyone. In this particular case, he put out an article with quotes that: a.) I hadn't seen quoted before b.) Had definitely not been posted to the BBS That's why what you said made no sense. Yes, in general, Ortiz sucks. Happy?
