Report: Prior Peeved

It comes as no surprise to this page that my hometown paper the USA Today reports that Cub starter Mark Prior is upset about the trade speculation involving him. In an article discussing the fallout from the Tejada rumors Bob Nightengale reports:

Mark Prior is staying with the Cubs, although he's peeved that they were willing to trade him to Baltimore.

That's a shocker. The Cubs young phenom is hurt that his name came up in trade rumors for Tejada.

I am not here to make the case for or against that trade. I am fine with the fact that Hendry is looking at all available avenues to improve this miserable team. What I question is Jim Hendry's handling of the situation in the media. Why did this trade offer ever make it into the press? How come Cruller Jim never denied the rumor? How does it benefit the Cub franchise to allow this rumor to be leaked?

The only result that I see from this rumor is that the Cub pitcher will be upset. Combine that with a potential arbitration case and you could have some real hard feelings between Prior and the Cubs. Prior won't bash the club Friday at the annual LoveFest. He has too much class for that. Still, the Cubs handling of their young right handed stud is perplexing.