The San Diego Padres signed broken down pitcher Mark Prior to a one year, one million dollar contract.

Mark Prior is a 27 year old right handed pitcher coming off a season where he didn't pitch in any regular season game. He's coming from the Cubs who basically gave up on him. And yes, I think the Padres got the hometown discount. 

Still, one million dollars in today's baseball world isn't much to give up for taking a shot at a former ace.

God love the Chicago Cubs, right? It's been 99 years since they last won the world series, and this year they're in the post season. Let me correct myself and be a little more exacting. They last won the world series by beating the Detroit Tigers on October 14, 1908:

• 98 years, 11 months and 17 days have passed.
• 36,146 days have whizzed by.
• 5163 weeks have come and gone.
• 867,504 hours were spent by four generations of fans waiting for another title.
• 52,050,240 minutes have passed since the city of Chicago could celebrate their Ursidae team winning it all.
• 3,123,014,400 seconds, well, this one is just plain depressing..

Yet, there is new hope in Chicago. Players, coaches and even fans think they have a chance to cast the curses aside and win a title. They all seem to be unconcerned with the various theories as to why the team has languished .