Mark Prior toils in independent league but on big-league quest
By Joseph D'Hippolito, Special for USA TODAYFULLERTON, Calif. — Nearly a decade after being a highly regarded prospect — and four years after throwing his last major-league pitch —Mark Prior hopes to revive his career by starting behind Square 1.Prior, once a force in the
Chicago Cubs' rotation, now pitches in relief for the Orange County Flyers, who play in Fullerton, Calif., and in the independent Golden Baseball League."I'm a long way away from where I need to be to pitch at the big-league level," Prior said. "But I still have the passion to play, and I'm still 29; I'm not 39."
Prior, who lives in San Diego, views returning to the affiliated minor leagues — let alone the majors — as a long-term goal, not one for this year.
ON THE MARK: Prior could mow 'em down in his primeDAILY PITCH: Canseco, 'Spaceman' Lee make minors return"That would be great," Prior said. "But for teams in a pennant race, throwing me into that kind of fire right now probably is not beneficial for that team or myself. Any team that's out of it would probably rather look at their own young guys.
"I'm not putting a time restraint on it because that seemed always to put me in a bad situation, where I was trying to push something that I know I wasn't ready to do."
When the century began, baseball experts viewed Prior as the nation's best young pitcher. In 2001, the right-hander won All-America honors at Southern California and the Golden Spikes award as the best amateur player.
That June, the Cubs selected Prior with the second overall pick in the draft behind catcher Joe Mauer and signed him to a $10.5 million deal, a record at the time.
Prior made his major-league debut in 2002. The next year, he went 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA and 245 strikeouts in 211⅓ innings while helping the Cubs reach the National League Championship Series.
As a reward, Prior made the NL's All-Star team and finished third in voting for the Cy Young Award. But also in 2003, Prior suffered the first in a series of injuries that would sabotage his career.
Injuries piled up
Most of those injuries involved Prior's arm. In 2005, Prior missed one month after a line drive from the Colorado Rockies'Brad Hawpe broke his right elbow. In 2006, Prior strained his shoulder during spring training and missed the season's final six weeks with shoulder tendinitis.
He never pitched again for the Cubs.
In April 2007, Prior had exploratory surgery that revealed structural damage in his shoulder, and he missed the entire season. The Cubs non-tendered Prior, who signed with the San Diego Padres in late 2007. But while rehabilitating, Prior tore a capsule in his shoulder; the ensuing surgery kept Prior off the field throughout 2008.
"I'm not going to lie and say that I never wanted to say, 'I've had enough,' " Prior said. "But I talked to enough people who told me, 'If you're going to shut it down, make sure that you're not going to look back.' "
Last fall, Prior started physical conditioning at the University of Southern California. This spring, he began throwing to Trojans batters in controlled situations.
"I was really trying to strengthen (my right shoulder) as much as I can, probably more so than I have in my entire life," Prior said. "At 29, I was probably in better shape than I was when I was 21, 22 and pitching in Chicago."
Prior threw for major-league scouts June 30 but received no offers. Then Flyers manager Paul Abbott, who pitched for six teams during 11 major-league seasons, contacted Prior's agent, John Boggs. Boggs' son, Steve, starts in center for the Flyers.
"I kind of got in (Abbott's) ear," said the younger Boggs. "I said, 'Hey, maybe he should come and play for us.' "
Perfect start to comeback
Prior had a tryout with the Flyers on July 31, signed on Aug. 3 and made his first appearance that same day.
He pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout.
"I'm still getting some kinks out," Prior said. "(Saturday) was the first day where I was able to throw two different breaking balls. Everything's kind of evolving from day to day right now."
In five innings of relief over three appearances for the Flyers, Prior has allowed an unearned run, two walks and two hits while striking out 10.
"My best chance is to come back as a reliever," said Prior, who has never pitched in relief professionally. "I think my body will handle that better than trying to throw 110, 120 pitches.
"It's a way to see what I've got left in the tank. Once I can show everybody that I'm healthy, maybe get a full season under my belt as a reliever, then I'll see what's up."
Flyers assistant general manager Dan Koosed said that Prior was throwing 89-90 mph consistently.
"We've got to build up his arm strength," Abbott said. "One thing we don't want to do is have a setback."
Saturday night in the first game of a doubleheader, Prior pitched the sixth and seventh innings, striking out four batters in a row.
Prior relaxed during the second game by telling stories and joking and laughing with teammates in the Flyers' bullpen.
"I'm having a blast," Prior said. "The guys are great. It's been almost five years since I've pitched competitively and felt like I actually could get people out.
"It's just good getting back out there."
Although Mark Prior wasn't always healthy while pitching for the Chicago Cubs from 2002 to 2005, he managed to post the highest ratio of strikeouts per nine innings during that period: Player Mark Prior Randy Johnson Kerry Wood Johan Santana Pedro Martinez Source: Baseball.Reference.com
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Prior in USA Today
Former NL All-Star and new Flyers reliever Mark Prior has been big on the mound so far, and now he's big in the headlines. Check out this article in USA Today, written by Joseph D'Hippolito, about Prior's comeback into professional baseball.
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