Major League Baseball is reporting that the padres are releasing Mark Prior. Cub fans remember Prior as the golden arm that guided the cubs to within 5 outs of the 2003 world series. Of course, cub fans also remember Prior as a pitcher who was chronically injured after the 2003 season, and who never regained the same glory there after. Prior's last game in the majors was with the cubs in a game against the brewers on August 10, 2006. For the last three seasons, he was with the padres, trying to rehab his shoulder and make a comeback in their minor league system. But as manager Bud Black reported, he just could never "get over the hump." Most likely it looks like Prior, at the age of 28, is done with baseball.
When looking back on Prior, he is often associated with being a victim of the pitch count. 5 or 6 years ago, when pitch count data was not regarded as highly as it is today, it was not uncommon for Prior to go out and throw 120 to 130 pitches in a game. Former cub manager Dusty Baker, who was managing Prior at the time, was criticized by cub fans back then (and even more so today) for extending Prior and other pitchers on the staff, and"abusing young arms." In game 2 of the 2003 NLCS against the marlins, Prior made 116 pitches and stayed well into a game that the cubs won easily in a blow out. Perhaps a more rested Prior would have had a little bit left in the tank in game 6 of the series to complete that fateful 8th inning...
Other associations come to mind when looking back on Prior, especially if you are a cub fan: chronic elbow, Achilles heel, and shoulder problems, several freak injuries, unraveling in game 6 of the NLCS against the marlins, and a low tolerance for pain. Most of these associations are unfair, especially one in which a man's tolerance for pain is judged by others. It may have been that Prior's aloof, California attitude made him not as real or reachable for cub fans.
2 crowning moments in Prior's career that are often over looked were games in which he struck out 16 batters. In June of 2003, Prior struck out 16 brewers. In September of 2004, he accomplished the same feat, striking out 16 reds. These games are probably not fondly remembered by cub fans for several reasons: the cubs actually lost both of them, with the game against the reds being lost in 12 innings; also, the game against the reds in late September 2004 is often associated with the cubs collapse for the wild card that season, as a horrible reds team took 3 of 4 from the free falling cubs at Wrigley Field in the last week of the regular season.
Striking out 16 batters on two different occasions may not be as glorious as Kerry Wood's legendary 20 strikeout game against the astros in 1998, but it's still something to remember. And while number 22 on the cubs will always be remembered more for Bill Buckner, maybe it should also be remembered for brief flashes of brilliance from cub pitcher Mark Prior during the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
The following sources contributed to this post:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/27/sports/national-league-roundup-prior-strikes-out-16-but-cubs-fall-to-brewers.html
http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2009/08/report-says-mark-prior-to-be-released-by-padres.html#comments
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20040930&content_id=876702&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc
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