If the Padres get Mark Prior will it silence the whiners?

by Dex on Dec 21, 2007 6:19 AM PST in News

Short Answer: No.

Long Answer: Oh, hell no.

Nevertheless, Buster Olney has decreed us the frontrunners in the race to catch Mark Prior. He's elusive prey, that Mark Prior. Crafty. The most recent surgery on his arm has made him capable of bending his elbow in seven directions and his shoulder can now extend an extra four inches. I think he elected to have his pinky finger removed and reattached underneath the thumb to give him some extra movement.

Now are you excited? I didn't think so.

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I am excited about this.

This is another one of those low risk/high reward deals that could really pay off big for us. I trust the opinions of our training staff, scouts and front office on a decision like this. If they didn't think this was a risk worth taking, they wouldn't have thrown the Padres name into the hat. The contract will have a low salary with performance bonuses...where's the risk? What's the worst that could happen? He comes back in May or June and gets lit up in a couple games and he's done.

And it's not like we're putting all of our eggs in one basket here. There are plenty of options for the number 5 spot. Glendon Rusch, Justin Germano, Shawn Estes, Clay Hensley...all of these guys will be fighting for that 5 spot.

by Drama on Dec 21, 2007 6:50 AM PST reply actions

<frown>

...wanna buy a bridge?

by ABY on Dec 21, 2007 8:27 AM PST up reply actions

Buster Olney's kiss of death

No, not the espn article - this was a movie I saw last night. A strange choice for Olney.

I like Prior's thinking about playing his way into a big contract the next year - and the Padres deserve to benefit. Milton Bradley's thinking with Texas was the same.

by Billy Almon on Dec 21, 2007 7:18 AM PST reply actions

maybe it will be like "the rookie"

"The most recent surgery on his arm has made him capable of bending his elbow in seven directions and his shoulder can now extend an extra four inches. I think he elected to have his pinky finger removed and reattached underneath the thumb to give him some extra movement."

he will now be able to throw 105 MPH like in the movie

http://frequentfriar.wordpress.com

by Peavyforprez08 on Dec 21, 2007 7:43 AM PST reply actions

You mean Rookie of the Year

Rowengartner!

by matthewverygood on Dec 21, 2007 9:47 AM PST up reply actions

Mark Prior is...

Nessie, Bigfoot, Champ, Sasquatch, a Yeti, a Unicorn and a Chupacabra that lives in Atlantis.
If you sign him you will hear rumors about him existing, get reports of people who claim to have witnessed him in "simulated games" or "towel drills", and you will always be told that he's "making progress" and "is close to joining the rotation". You will never see him though, because Mark Prior is an urban legend.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 21, 2007 8:59 AM PST reply actions

Well...

We all know who we can blame for that...now don't we?

by Drama on Dec 21, 2007 9:28 AM PST up reply actions

I am going with

Dusty "I don't believe in numbers and pitch counts" Baker.

I wonder who is going to be the first career he ruins in Cincinatti.........

"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day. " ~Frank Sinatra

by Sammy G on Dec 21, 2007 12:34 PM PST up reply actions

As someone....

Who is forced ti watched Reds games, I'd say Aaron Harang is going to be the first guy that is ruined, that guys is a STUD. Or it could be Homer Bailey, their number 1 prospect (why their number one prospect is a PITCHER in that ballpark I don't know)

...and we're STILL waiting for MATT HOLLIDAY to touch the plate.

by offspeedkills on Dec 21, 2007 5:17 PM PST up reply actions

As someone....

else who is forced to watch Reds games, I'm gonna miss watching Josh Hamilton. I wish we'd got him instead of the Rangers.

by TheThirdGonzalez on Dec 21, 2007 6:15 PM PST up reply actions

If we sign him....

I am asking permission to use that quote as my sig line until he makes his first start. Well said!

...and we're STILL waiting for MATT HOLLIDAY to touch the plate.

by offspeedkills on Dec 21, 2007 5:21 PM PST up reply actions

Permission....

granted!

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 21, 2007 11:02 PM PST up reply actions

lol

nice post, thank you for my new sig.

How depressing is it being you? Would you equate it to being a lifelong Cubs fan?

by rocKStark on Dec 22, 2007 5:38 PM PST up reply actions

I am waiting for his arm to fall off...

and then be re-attached on the left side. Then he will be the first switch pitcher who throws an underhand overhead fastball.

by planetjeffy on Dec 21, 2007 1:20 PM PST reply actions

Kinda Stolked

I loved Prior when he was firing on all cylinders. If, and it's a big IF, he returns to pitch to his potential, holy crap that would be a SICK rotation. A new team, new coaches and new trainers could be just what this dude needs. Of course we have to sign him first but I'd be pretty stolked to have him.

by fairweather on Dec 21, 2007 1:23 PM PST reply actions

Fairweather!

Haven't heard much from you lately. I agree, the upside is definitely worth the gamble. As long as he doesn't go Sean Burroughs on us and get ruined moving back home. I think the benefits of moving home for home well outweigh the risks.

by osbug on Dec 21, 2007 2:04 PM PST up reply actions

Prior? Yeah, Ok.

His injury was severe, and that's a worry. He's still pretty young, though, and he has something to prove. But not too much money.

I have asked KT several times to get Anthony Reyes. Buy low. Risk low. Possible reward high. He could slide nicely into the #5 spot. I'm convinced he's better than he's shown-and a new set of coaches would do him a world of good.

by sweeney on Dec 21, 2007 3:11 PM PST up reply actions

Reyes would be a nice addition

Also, he's a pitcher who is a risk but not in the "My arm is surgically stapled to my body and could come detached at any time" way. We don't have many of those at the back end of the rotation.

by goose1 on Dec 21, 2007 3:16 PM PST up reply actions

Reyes was hurt in college; but he's been

on the DL once since he's been a pro. (2005) He has a strange delivery, one that looks injury prone. But he's a better risk than the pitchers coming back from shoulder surgery, and he's not hurt now. But KT hasn't listened to me, because he's not here.

by sweeney on Dec 21, 2007 3:29 PM PST up reply actions

Silence the whiners? Never.

Honestly, if you want infuriating, read the 'comments' of the crowd on the Union Tribune website every time there's a Padre article. I'm often surprised these people can type. Without a doubt, some of the least informed baseball writing on the entire internet (think about the implications).

So, yes, in The Land of Make Believe, I wish the Padres had signed Josh Beckett, John Lackey and C.C. Sabathia to round out the rotation, Robinson Cano for 2B, Grady Sizemore for CF, and Manny Ramirez in left. And that John Moores had dipped into his personal fortune and run the team at a deep deficit out of the goodness of his heart to do so, while making all tickets free and giving out unlimited microbrews every home game and making it rain skittles during the 7th inning stretch.

Given what was available, though, I hope we get Prior, I'm glad we got Wolf and Iguchi. Edmonds I'm okay with. I'd have to say the Dbacks and Dodgers are the favorites to take the division, but that's why we play the games. I'd put us 50/50 to win 90 games and make the playoffs--wild card or otherwise.

by goose1 on Dec 21, 2007 3:00 PM PST reply actions

what's this

I hear about free MicroBrews at every game.....I am so STOKED.

"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day. " ~Frank Sinatra

by Sammy G on Dec 22, 2007 9:44 AM PST up reply actions

in an unrelated transaction...

Rangers acquired Josh Hamilton from the Reds for RH Starter Edinson Volquez & minor leaguer LH Reliever Danny Herrera.

This is definitely someone we should have gone after and what the Rangers gave up for him wasnt much. We could have offered better than that from our farm system to get CF help in a 26yr former #1. It seems he has overcome his drug problems and turned his life around.

I would have really like him as our Outfield solution.

by frequentfriar on Dec 21, 2007 6:07 PM PST reply actions

Mike Thompson is now a Pirate

Mike Thompson will take his gas can to Pittsburgh after signing a minor league deal with the Pirates.

Now if we can just get rid of Tim Stauffer it will be the Merriest Christmas ever!

by Drama on Dec 22, 2007 7:13 AM PST reply actions

Addition by subtraction

This off-season we've gotten rid of Blum, Brocail, Cassel, Lane, Ensbgerg, and Thompson. I like that KT is moving on from some of our minor league busts (although Thompson came up HUGE several times in 06). Maybe the next minor leaguer to fill in at the major league level will better fill the whole.

by Phantom on Dec 22, 2007 12:09 PM PST up reply actions