The Red Sox will sign Mark Prior, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). John Boggs & Associates represent Prior, who last pitched in the Major Leagues in 2006.
The Cubs drafted Prior second overall in 2001 and he soon became one of the National League's best pitchers. He posted a 2.43 ERA with 10.4 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 as a 22-year-old just a year and a half after being drafted. A series of shoulder problems derailed Prior's career, but he has tried to resurrect it with stints in the Padres', Rangers' and Yankees' systems. Now 31, he's attempting another comeback.
Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post.
I guess we’re hoping he can capitalize on his PRIOR success with the Cubs?
This couldn’t have been an a PRIORi decision by Cherington, so I wonder what’s changed, but what do they have to lose?
ummm, the games they play
Yeah, I’m going to be pretty upset when Prior is losing games for the Portland Sea Dogs…
not to worry, the red sox can lose just fine with or without prior
The Seadogs lose either way
You were on the Mark with that pun. I wonder if he’ll get PRIORity for a good spot on the roster.
Oh, you’re on the Mark, Prior.
This a yay and a bummer for me. Love that the Sox got him, bummed that the Cubs won’t bring him back. Imagine the twin flamethrowers back together again and. in the same bullpen. Wood and Prior, 7th-8th combo of doom.
Dude, teams have tried bringing him to their bullpen, all failing. What makes you think that if the Cubs gave him a shot, that he would magically be healthy and pitch in the majors again?
Except Prior never regained his fastball.
The next man to join the 2012 Tommy John class…
I’m just guessing his elbow is complete mush, so he’s probably safe.
His shoulder, the most important part of throwing, is the problem. His elbow I believe is fine.
A sign of desperation.
Ummmmm no.
Ummmmm yes.
ummm no
This is a heated debate.
Um no it isn’t.
ummm yes it is
you killed it
But it was just getting good.
ummm yes it was
ummm no it wasnt
This team employs Mark Melancon and Alfredo Aceves. They’d be willing to sign Oil Can Boyd right now.
Serious FAIL. Aces has been one of the better long men out of the BP his 2 healthy seasons in the game and ANY team in the GAME would be thrilled to have him if they KNEW anything about him.
“Long men” = Not good enough to be a starter, not good enough to be a reliable late inning pitcher — exactly what we’ve seen this year.
Aceves has had two bad outings (and one where he let an inherited runner from Melancon score), comapred to seven clean ones. If you consider that the Detroit series was a transition period from starting in ST to closing, he’s only really got the Yankees game as a blotch on his record, but that game was sort of a group effort meltdown.
Yeah come on man. What’s wrong with a 10.29 ERA?
The “1”
Ya because Aceves is so horrible.
Ten years later and the infatuation still exists.
I hope it works out for Prior. What could have been.
Hasn’t pitched since 2006?? I like the Oil can Boyd idea better. Bill (Spaceman) Lee is available and willing!
Just think, the last time he pitched in the majors, Bernie Williams, Javy Lopez and Carl Everett were still active. Should be interesting if nothing else.
Prior has averaged under 10 innings a season since 2006. He was last decent in 2005. He hasn’t been anything more then a 4 or 5 (2004-2005) since 2003.
This is 2012. If Prior was able to come back he would have done so by now. Anything more then 50,000 and use of the trainers room is a over payment.
I don’t think he could play in the Mexican league with Canseco at this point.
Not pitched since 2006??? I like that Oil Can Boyd idea better. Bill (Spaceman) Lee is available and willing! In fact my 24 year old son is willing too. He has NO experience in pitching but would like the job anyway.
I find it impressive that he’s still trying to resurrect his career, most guys in his position would be coaching or selling cars by now…Good luck Mark
So it’s agreed, they’re actually just going to part him out? I hope no one on the Sawx needs elbow ligaments.
Do you think they honestly have any expectations at all when they sign him? I’m sorry but what’s the point? If you haven’t pitched in the majors in 6 years, you may as well call yourself retired.
What’s the harm in trying?
Bartolo Colon is a different situation, but he hadn’t pitched 100 innings in a season (or been any good at all) since 2005, and he missed all of 2010, but he came back last year and look at him now.
I guess, it just seems pointless to me. I haven’t seen a scouting report of what he throws now so I’m not sure what the upside is, but I guess you can sign anyone on a minor league deal and see what happens. It just seems like the odds are too far stacked against Prior for this to work. Not sure why he even signs for a team if he doesn’t pitch.
I can’t believe he’s only 31 years old 😮
Here’s wishing you the best of luck, Mark
I was thinking the same thing! Seems like I’ve been hearing about him for 20 years!!
Its not just him having not pitched in the majors since 2006, he hasn’t really pitched at any level since 2006. Again under 10 innings a year since then. I wish him the best of luck and hope that I’m wrong. Perhaps he can be a decent arm out of the pen or back of the rotation, but I think those days are long gone.
Simply put not all pitchers recover from injuries no matter how hard they try.
That’s all true, and the chances of him ever touching a major league roster are very slim, but there’s really zero harm in picking him up.
But we can’t give Pedro a try?
IIRC he retired and isn’t trying to get back in the league.
What a hero. This is pure dedication to the game of baseball…hope he can come back.
I’d love to hate on this but considering how pumped I was when he signed with the Yankees, I just can’t I doubt this will impact much but for his sake I hope he comes back.
Would love to see the Red Sox bring back Rich “El Guapo” Garces
Mark Prior? But we have John Lackey coming back next year! Clemens might be available if he has a short prison term.
prior and his agents are becoming the milton bradley of baseball. just find another team to throw money at the player to solve the problem
What’s the problem? Prior wants to pitch. He probably doesn’t need the money. There’s no harm in this; it’s not like he’s going to make a million dollars or anything.
I hope he can be healthy and somewhat productive but mostly his health. good luck!
They seemed to have fixed Andrew Miller why can’t they fix Mark Prior
Can he play shortstop?
I agreed with you that it’s low risk and might as well take the high reward… but Padres, Rangers, and Yankees all have said the same thing.
Boston has done this for decades with people and torn up shoulders.. I remember way, way back they even signed Mark Fydrich and tried to resurrect his career after he had his shoulder destroyed. Didn’t work there, then it doesn’t hurt and he’s still a better gamble than 2/3 of that collection of “arms” (say that word loosely) that they have collected at Pawtucket already.
I was hoping they would do this with Brandon Webb too. Not like you can expect either one of them to ever actually regain their previous form, but both have massive upside, and neither would have cost anything at all.
I be if the Astros would sign him he could be plenty good. It seems like anyone, who is “washed up”, the astros sign becomes a great player again (see Brett Myers(at least for one season).