Mark Prior, You Are Ridiculous
As if a 7-0 homestand, an MLB-best 36-21 record, and an upcoming road trip against the hapless San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers aren’t reason enough for a Cubs fan to be damn near giddy about the 2008 season, the good news keeps rolling in. When Jim Hendry refused to give Mark Prior more than what he was worth, I was foolishly upset. But it looks like Hendry made the right call. Prior is scheduled for season-ending shoulder surgery. Again.
Prior hasn’t pitched since August 10, 2006. Assuming he has the surgery this week, the odds are good he won’t pitch again until August 10, 2009. Or 2010. Or ever. The 2008 Cubs haven’t played the waiting game for Prior or, for that matter, Kerry Wood. I’m not one to believe in “chemistry” or “attitude” over “getting a bunch of good players,” but the Cubs have certainly had a different feel since they’ve moved on, haven’t they?
Finally, they don’t have a single player in the locker room whom everyone else calls “ma’am.” Finally, there’s room in the hot tub for Daryle Ward to make his gumbo chili in peace. Finally, Carrie Muskat will be forced to find someone else to come with her to shop for turtlenecks at Marshall’s.
Once again, good riddance, Prior. You are ridiculous, and I’m glad you’re someone else’s problem.
Oh, and Shawn Estes broke his finger. It’s good to be a Cubs fan right now.
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Comments
Cap'n Obvious Don’t get me wrong, I think less of Dusty than almost anyone, but lets not blame him for Prior filling his body with performance enhancers, blowing out his shoulder, then becoming the poster boy for Vagisil.
Jon The “T”Estes broken finger is like a delicious cherry on the top the Schadenfreude sundae.
Reuschel's Jowls I dunno, Cap’n, look at the pitch counts for August/Sept./Oct. 2003 for Prior and tell me that’s not damn near felony criminal assault on the arm of a 22-year-old in his first full MLB season by one Dusty F. Baker.
I have no problem questioning Prior’s heart and toughness, but I think that has a lot less to do with his fate than some incredibly poor management of his arm, some lousy medical advice (i.e. the doctors who couldn’t find anything wrong with his shoulder for two years even though it was damaged), and some incredibly shitty luck (i.e., a line drive right off his pitching elbow).
I’m glad he’s not dragging down the Cubs’ clubhouse any more, but I, too, feel a little bad for the guy.
Weebs There’s a reason teams are so careful with their young arms now. I think Mark Prior is the poster boy for starting your young stud pitcher in the bullpen and slowly getting him ready for the rotation. I hate the Yankees and Joba Chamberlain with a passion, but they’re making the right moves with his development…though he’ll still probably be a mediocre starter and the most overhyped middle-reliever in baseball history.
Eli I’m with you here. I’m not taking a ton of joy in seeing his career derail.
I’d prefer it if he had just stayed healthy and was still pitching for the Cubs.
Bad Kermit I’m delighting more in the fact that the Cubs cut the line than the fact that he’s a disaster. I was pissed when I thought Hendry didn’t offer him a fair deal to come back. I’m glad he wisely offered him MORE than what was fair, and I’m thrilled the Cubs are no longer playing the “when will Prior be back” game.
IAN For the record, Prior’s pitch counts in his first 19 appearances in the majors (in 2002, under Don Baylor and Bruce Kimm) were 103, 093, 95, 124, 119, 107, 100, 111, 101, 97, 113, 110, 115, 135, 86, 105, 105, 106, 98.
In 2003, he averaged a pitch count of 113.3 and had a high of 133 (131 twice). He was over 120 pitches 9 times out of his 29 appearances that year.
Interwebs are full of this “information.”
Poon There is one outstanding article about Prior that nearly sums up all of his problems. I’m sure most of you have seen it and honestly the only thing it doesn’t cover is the steroid rumors but you can read between the lines and come to your own conclusions about that.
I was at the game where he got that liner right off his elbow and ya kind of just knew when that happened his career was done. People had said for years that his delivery would lead to problems and a short career but no one could have predicted it would have been as short as it was. Prior gave Cubs fans a lot to cheer about but caused more headaches in the last few years than anything. I’m surprised any team wanted to give him money giving his history with the DL. It’s kind of fitting that this news comes out on the day when the Cubs have their best start in 100 years and are playing the team that signed him.
Reuschel's Jowls Didn’t Prior hit his career max for innings (up to that point) in late July of 2003, though? You’ve got a kid who’s never thrown that many innings before, and you ride him like a pack-mule for the last two months of the season plus the playoffs?
(And the fact that Don Baylor was equally stupid on this matter doesn’t absolve Dusty…)
IAN Believe me, I’m not trying to absolve Dusty Baker. Just throwing the numbers out there.
Eli Most people actually said his delivery would help him become one of the best pitchers ever. The only person I recall criticizing Prior’s delivery was Mike Marshall, and he hates everyone’s mechanics.
JD Why are you so racist, IAN?
I hope you’ve learned your lesson about the “Primar” thread on Desipio.
TomesoR I’ll tell you one thing though - I’ve never seen a more intense competitor on the mound than Mark Prior.
CT
bocaj
BigFlax
StPatrick
TDubbs
I’m at the point now where I’m starting to feel sorry for the kid.
I’m sure he regrets the day Dusty Fucking Baker entered his life.