Topic: Mark Prior

The simple name of Mark Prior for this post almost immediately envokes some type of reaction within a Cubs fan.  With the Cardinals in town recently, I've pieced together some articles and interviews regarding the busted pitcher.  How does Mark Prior tie into the Cardinals, well it's quite simple: Rick Ankiel.  I'm not saying he has the same crazy wildness of Ankiel, but he has mental issues.  Both pitchers came into the league with awesome potential, and both developed severe mental problems on the mound.  With Ankiel it was his wildness.  With Prior, it's his self-shutdown mode and fear of injury.  I've read an article recently in the Tribune basically asking what if the Cubs were to do what St. Louis did with Ankiel and turn Prior into an outfielder for his bat.  I then saw a recent interview with Ankiel on SportsCenter where he was saying the reason for his wildness and inability to pitch was not something physical (i.e. injuries), but just mental.  He basically developed an inability to control his stuff because of all the stuff going on in his mind.  As soon as he retired from pitching and went into the outfield the next day, he felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders.  After seeing this interview, I say why not to Prior.   He obviously has mental problems on the mound.  He hasn't been right in a couple years.  I personally don't see him trying hard like Wood to get back on the field.  To put it simple, he's scared to go out on the mound.  Because of fear of injury or whatever, he's just scared.  Why not take a guy who has been ineffective for the last couple of years, and stick him in the outfield then?  I guess it also depends on how well Prior can bat.  From what I remember though, he was a farely adequate hitter.  If he focused on hitting full time, he would definitely improve.