CUBS TO DECIDE 'PRIOR' OBLIGATIONS TODAY

by Jack Cobra, Cobra Brigade

Now that the Cubs have signed Japanese hitting sensation Kosuke Fukudome they have one thing left on their 'to do' list. Deciding what to do with Mark Prior.

The Cubs have until late tonight to offer Prior arbitration or to non-tender him and let him become a free agent. For a player who was once thought of as the 'savior' for the Cubs, the downfall has been quick and brutal.

With Prior coming off of shoulder surgery the Cubs were hoping to sign him to an incentive laden two-year deal in the hopes that he would fully recover in 2008 and be able to give them production in 2009. Prior obviously has ideas of his own as he's working his way out of Chicago.

So, what happens to Prior if the Cubs don't re-sign him by tonight? Well, there are quite a few teams that are interested in the former #2 draft pick. The Reds, Padres and the Rangers are a few teams that showed interest during the Baseball Winter Meetings. I doubt Prior would sign with the Reds since it was Dusty Baker who pitched the guy into the ground. San Diego is close to where he grew up and I'm thinking he might have some ties to the Rangers Organization because of his prior affiliation with Pitching Guru Tom House....on top of that, they have mucho dinero.

Today is a big day for the Cubs. They signed their main objective this off-season and they have to decide whether or not to keep the guy they thought would carry their franchise to the World Series.