mark prior was non-tendered today. since the previous attempts earlier this off-season to sign him to a one-year deal with an option for 2009 were unsuccessful, its pretty doubtful that the cubs will be able to do so now that he can sign with anyone out there willing to take a chance on him. he can probably get more money somewhere else. heres the
story from cubs.com
im torn on how i feel about this. on one hand, baseball is a business. the cubs have spent millions paying prior and helping him rehab from his many injuries. and he repays them by asking for a raise in a year he didnt play in a single major league game, telling the press he was "just an employee" and making it known he wouldn't mind getting traded to san diego, despite his years with the cubs and everything the organization has done for him, and the fans, who, even up to opening day 2007, still thought of him as "the one." we had faith in him. ingrate.
but thats not how i really feel. i miss watching him throw. i miss the feeling of calm i get when watching him set up for a pitch. and everytime i see his name next to the words "non-tender" i have a fleeting thought of bursting into tears. i don't, of course, but its a thought.
mark prior was a critical part of my formative baseball years. the years where i was learning about the game while living less than a mile from wrigley. the year where the cubs came within 5 outs of the world series. mark prior was going to be the one to bring us there. this kid was going to write himself and the 2003 team into the history books. that was supposed to be our year.
thanks for the memories, even though they weren't so good
a local news station in chicago covering the arrival of mark prior to chicago in may 2002. they met him at the airport, unheard of for a rookie. he won his first major league start and the town took notice. things were going to happen.
i watched prior pitch a winning game against the mets in 2003, about a month before chicago got playoff fever. applesauce and i went to the the game with her then-boyfriend (now husband). we were excited to see prior pitch live. applesauce was sporting her band new prior t shirt, with his number on it. a month later, we were were in full playoff mode.
- it was the last year applesauce lived together, in our nicest apt in the city, a 2-flat in lakeview, off paulina and belmont. it was by far my favorite apt in chicago.
- game 3 of the NLDS, which we watched at a bar with her bf and his friends, taking down shots on an empty stomach while we nervously alternated between watching and not watching the game vs the braves. and then the 2 of us taking turns later that night praying to the porcelain god
- game 1 of the NLCS vs the marlins. my first live playoff game. applesauce, her bf, and smitty. the game went into extras. i was so exhaused by the end i didnt have the strength to applaud for every strike thrown. we lost. that was the longest walk home i ever did from wrigley. the single mile seemed like 10. maybe it only seems like longer when you lose.
- the infamous game 5 of the nlcs. where prior had a lead and the cubs were 5 outs away from going to the world series for the first time since 1945. and having a nightmare that night where the numbers 8 and 3 (the final score) were chasing me. ridiculous i know. 6 hours earlier, smitty and i were talking about how in the few short hours the cubs were going to be on their way to the world series. 2 days later it was over.
- and finally, the lull that took over the northside the weeks after the nlcs. the party vibe was gone, the enthousiam was gone. everything, even on a weekend night, was morbidly quiet. the whole city had gone into a depression, one that wouldnt end until the excitement of opening day 2004 gripped the populace.
in the fall of 2003, prior got married, and mlb.com speculated that this time next year, he would be celebrating both his 1st wedding anniversary, and his 1st cy young win. he was so close in 2003. amazing how wrong that prediction turned out to be. he only won 6 games in 2004, one third of the number he won in 2003.
in 2005, i went to my first cross town classic game at wrigley. it was me, gc and abby. we had an awesome time. prior pitched a great game and won 4-3. i still have the ticket stub. pathetic, yes. he took a hit that game, but seemed to shake it off and finish the game fine. it was a week before he would be take a line drive to the elbow and return to pitch way too soon (in my opinion).
and then of course 2006 and 2007. his few starts in 2006 were painful to watch as he struggled. he still had the quiet peace on the mound i loved to watch, just not the delivery to go with it. i thought it was all mental. maybe seeing alou freak out in game 5 of the nlcs has stuck with him, and that that the pressure that the city put on him to be the baseball messiah and bring us to the world series had taken its toll. if a single girl in chicago who had only been watching baseball for 2 years could have nightmares about numbers chasing her, what did that same situation do the pitcher who had grown up dreaming of pitching that game since childhood? and that line drive he took off his elbow -- was he really ready to come back when he said he was? had that injury not properly healing have something to do with his injuries over the next few seasons?
we'll never know. whatever prior is going to achieve in baseball, it won't be in cubbie blue. i hope he succeeds. i hope the sport recognizes his talent, and don't just refer to him as a kid who could never meet expectations. i hope he manages to get over game 5 of the nlcs. i hope one day i can get over game 5 of the nlcs.
wait til next year...
oh, and i really hope he doesnt end up playing for dusty bottoms baker and the reds. that man has done enough damage to his career already.
