Mark Prior officialy signs with the Padres
Former Cubs pitcher Mark Prior has officialy signed a one year contract to pitch for the San Diego Padres in 2008. What is so suprising about the deal is that it is for 1 million and loaded with performance options etc. Hmm that sounds like what the Cubs tried signing Prior to and even for more money lol.
Looks like Prior really wanted out of Chicago, and back in So Cal where can pitch near his home. You can’t fault a guy for wanting to pitch at home though. It kind of feels like we really hardly got to know Mark Prior to be honest. I’ll still leave all my autographed Prior stuff up down in my basement, but I sure wish he was wearing Cubbie Blue. Hopefully he has a good career, but not against the Cubs.
Just thinking ahead, what do you think the Cubs fans will do when Prior takes the mound at Wrigley Field for the first time? Will he get a standing ovation, or a big round of boo birds? Hopefully it will be a standing ovation, but who knows with a lot of fans these days. What would like to see done? What would you do yourself?
Mark Prior did nothing to “earn” millions of dollars in his last few years in a Cub uniform. His HOME as a professional is right here in Chicago. Kerry Wood appears to realize that Chicago has treated him well, and he works hard to come back and perform in a Cub uniform. Whatever happens in the future, Wood has the respect of all Cub fans for the effort. We do not see that from Prior, who should have signed for the million here and worked to earn that respect. This blue-collar town will always treat such players well. Does Greg Maddux get booed in Atlanta, Los Angeles, or San Diego uniforms? Of course not — he earned the respect. Mark Prior will be booed and he will have to take it. Hope it doesn’t hurt his sensitive soul!
You know i dont mind that Mark has gone, i mean at the end of the day i think it was time for a change, a time to forget 2003 and face the innevitable fact that Prior and the Cubs had a fling that was never going to flourish into a relationship like the Maddux-Cubs connection.
I wish him the best of luck, and if i were at Wrigley the day that he was introduced back in a opositiongs uniform i would give him a whole hearted cheer.
BTW nice blog, been saved into my faves, i was looking for a good Cubs blog and now i have found it.
Dave, England
the padras can take care of him now
He hasn’t done anything to deserve a warm welcome back, but I think it would disrespectful to boo him, seeing as the injuries he suffered were not his fault or his intention. Its just sad that they ocured so much that we’ll never see him develop into a Cub great.
Really useful list, We do not see that from Prior, who should have signed for the million here and worked to earn that respect. This blue-collar town will always treat such players well.