Cubbies want Tejada???

[Avsfan]

Pie has GOT to be part of the deal....

Reimold Pie Markakis would be an OF to last us for years....

[Avsfan]

He's no sure thing but to just write him off like you did isn't very wise either.

I'd put Loewen ahead of him in terms of maturity...we don't need another pitcher on our staff that we need to "wait" for.

We've already got 3-5 of them in the minors...and 2 in Loewen & DCab

[Sports Guy]

Pie has GOT to be part of the deal....

Reimold Pie Markakis would be an OF to last us for years....

I would rather have Hill than Pie.

[jerios55]

Pie has GOT to be part of the deal....

Reimold Pie Markakis would be an OF to last us for years....

Would Pie and Hill do it for you then, without Murton??

[BigSkip]

Did you guys see the hangout front page quoting an article talking about Hill, Prior and Izturis for Tejada????

Would you guys take that trade?

I can't accept a trade centered around a guy who has only topped 200 innings once in his entire career, and hasn't done it at all in the past three seasons. Hell, he's been pitching hurt for three years.

Don't get me wrong, I love Prior, and he has the talent to be one of the most dominant pitchers in all of baseball, but he can't stay healthy.

[Fan4Life]

I can't accept a trade centered around a guy who has only topped 200 innings once in his entire career, and hasn't done it at all in the past three seasons. Hell, he's been pitching hurt for three years.

Don't get me wrong, I love Prior, and he has the talent to be one of the most dominant pitchers in all of baseball, but he can't stay healthy.

I keep reading this... Prior HAD that kind of talent... it is yet to be seen what kind of pitcher he will be going forward.. certainly not with risking our #1 player for in a trade.

[davearm]

First off, the author of that article, Phil Rogers, is just talking out of his butt, like he always does. There's absolutely no connection between what he thinks (and writes), and what Hendry and co. think. So this whole thing has a ways to go before it even qualifies as a rumor and not just some hack writer babbling.

As for Prior, his offseason focus is on strengthening his shoulder. Nobody's saying what his prognosis is beyond that.

The Cubs revealed Tuesday that Mark Prior was sent to orthopedic specialist James Andrews on Monday to get a second opinion on his chronically ailing right shoulder.

Andrews found Prior has some "looseness" in his shoulder joints that trainer Mark O'Neal said was genetic.

"Mark has typical changes you would see in any pitcher," O'Neal said. "Unfortunately for Mark, and we discussed this in spring training, … that looseness is what makes Mark the great pitcher he is, but the other side of the coin is that looseness can cause problems."

Shoulder surgery is not currently an option for Prior.

"There is surgery that can do something for this," O'Neal said. "The problem is the outcome is very unpredictable, and that would be your last resort."

So will Prior be ready for spring training?

"That's to be determined," said O'Neal, who also got a two-year contract extension Tuesday.

The looseness in the joints can cause "arthritic changes," according to O'Neal, who cited recent injuries to Prior's rotator cuff and his subscapularis muscle.

"The subtle changes had become problematic for him, and he had to be shut down with these things," he said, referring to three disabled-list stints in 2006.

Andrews, surgeon Lewis Yocum and team physician Stephen Gryzlo agreed Prior needed an accelerated off-season strengthening program to get ready for next year, including working on his mechanics with pitching coach Larry Rothschild, who agreed Tuesday to a two-year contract to join new manager Lou Piniella's staff.

[jerios55]

Does anyone have any info on C Jose Reyes???

Might be better then the traditional backups the O's go for.

[Avsfan]

Would Pie and Hill do it for you then, without Murton??

No....I don't want Rich Hill

[Mackus]

Dominated AAA at 25 and 26...whoopty doo!

His #'s in the majors aren't that good...7.5hits/9, 1.5hr/9, 3.5walks/9, 8.2K/9

So what happens when he passes the "hitters not used to him" tag? Not to mention putting him in the AL w/ DH & smaller parks.

His last 10 games....3 big games (2 against Cincy, 1 against Pitt) 2 good games (Mil, SF) the rest were average & bad.

Just for the record, the AL averaged 4.87 runs per game in 2006, the NL averaged 4.85.

[Mackus]

No....I don't want Rich Hill

You don't want him, or you wouldn't give up Tejada for him?

Saying you don't want him even if he was available cheap is just ridiculous.

[Fan4Life]

Just for the record, the AL averaged 4.87 runs per game in 2006, the NL averaged 4.85.

So the DH was in consequencial? That's unusual ins't it?

[Sports Guy]

The alarming thing about Hill is his HR rate which likely stems from his big curve. But he has a high K rate and good command rate. He has very good stuff and is lefthanded. He is a big guy, so he should be able to handle alot of innings.

His 3.5 BB/9IP is not really all that bad. It is probably around or slightly above league average.

That being said, if Prior is iffy, you don't touch this trade with a 10 foot pole.

[Fan4Life]

The alarming thing about Hill is his HR rate which likely stems from his big curve. But he has a high K rate and good command rate. He has very good stuff and is lefthanded. He is a big guy, so he should be able to handle alot of innings.

His 3.5 BB/9IP is not really all that bad. It is probably around or slightly above league average.

That being said, if Prior is iffy, you don't touch this trade with a 10 foot pole.

How can you determine Prior isn't "iffy" without a completed successful season behind him?

[Sports Guy]

How can you determine Prior isn't "iffy" without a completed successful season behind him?

He would have to be given full medical clearance.