Former ace pitcher Mark Prior has signed with the San Diego Padres in a deal worth $1 million for one year with $4.5 million in performance bonuses. Prior was looking at several teams including the Astros and Mariners after being released from the Chicago Cubs. Injuries have side tracked him for the last couple of years but if he can get back to his 2003 numbers where he went 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA and 245 strikeouts then the Padres have won on a gamble.
I love Prior as he had good stuff before the injuries and at 27 he should be able to come back and get to a higher level of pitching. He was born in San Diego and should be a great fit in the strong pitching rotation. Prior joins ace Jake Peavy, Greg Maddux, and Chris Young and the team led the major leagues with a 3.70 ERA. If Prior can become an ace again, the Padres would have an outstanding one-two punch in Peavy and Prior. This is a great signing for the Padres and should help them reach the postseason. As for the Cubs, they let go a good pitcher who could become just as good as Carlos Zambrano but have resigned Kerry Wood. Ted Lilly is also itching well for them but to let go of Prior is just not sensible.