Mark Prior
Mark Prior | |
---|---|
San Diego, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
May 22, 2002, for the Chicago Cubs | |
Last MLB appearance | |
August 10, 2006, for the Chicago Cubs | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 42–29 |
Earned run average | 3.51 |
Strikeouts | 757 |
Teams | |
| |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Mark William Prior (born September 7, 1980) is an American former
Born and raised in
Prior had pitched a scoreless game up to this point, but the
Prior never pitched in the major leagues again after that, though he tried several times. He pitched in the minor leagues for multiple organizations over the next six years before finally retiring at the end of the 2013 season. Once touted as having "perfect" pitching mechanics by ESPN and others,[1] his "Inverted W" arm action has been discussed as a possible reason for his lack of durability, as well as Dusty Baker's heavy usage of him during the 2003 season, though Prior himself does not blame Baker for his injuries. Prior accepted a front office position with the San Diego Padres in 2013, then joined the Dodgers in 2018 as a bullpen coach,[2] becoming their pitching coach in 2020.
Amateur career
Born September 7, 1980, in
As a freshman, Prior went to Vanderbilt.
Professional career
Chicago Cubs
In 2001, Prior re-entered the
After nine starts in the minors, Prior was called up to the big leagues in 2002 as a 21-year-old.[5] He made his Major League debut on May 22 at Wrigley Field against the Pittsburgh Pirates and became one of 14 Cub pitchers since 1920 to win his first major league start by striking out 10 batters over six innings pitched in a 7–4 victory. Teammate Sammy Sosa said, "I was impressed with what he did today. Going out there in front of 40,000 people and throwing the way he did, that was a good sign."[15] On June 7, he threw 128 pitches and struck out 11 while allowing no runs in a 2–0 win over the Seattle Mariners.[16] He threw his first career complete game on August 4, striking out 13, allowing one run, and throwing 136 pitches in a 4–1 win over the Colorado Rockies. "I was kind of surprised that they did send me out there," he said, when he found out he was pitching the ninth.[17] On August 15, he struck out seven hitters in a row, tying the Cubs' record shared by Jamie Moyer and Kerry Wood. In total, he struck out 12 in six innings, earning a no decision in an eventual 6–4 win.[18] During a game against the St. Louis Cardinals on August 31, he was removed because of a strained left hamstring.[19] Two days later, the Cubs announced they were shutting him down for the rest of the year because of the injury.[20] Prior finished his rookie campaign with a 6–6 record with a 3.32 ERA, and 147 strikeouts in 116+2⁄3 innings pitched.[3] The Sporting News called his rookie season "stellar", and he finished seventh in National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award voting.[3][21]
In his second start of the 2003 season, Prior pitched his first career
Against his hometown San Diego Padres on August 5, Prior returned from the DL, allowing two hits and no runs in six inning and earning the victory in a 3–0 win.[36] After his return, he compiled a 10–1 record, striking out 13, 14, and 10 in his final three starts of the season.[22] On September 27, he gave up two runs and struck out 10 in 6+2⁄3 innings, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates for the win in Game 1 of a doubleheader. That win brought the Cubs' magic number to one for the division title, and they won the second game to win the division for the first time since 1989.[37][38] Tied for the second most wins as a NL pitcher with Woody Williams in 2003, Prior finished third in NL Cy Young Award voting after compiling an 18–6 win–loss record. His 2.43 ERA was third in the NL (behind Jason Schmidt's 2.34 and Kevin Brown's 2.39), his 245 strikeouts were topped only by Wood's 266, and his .750 winning percentage was tied with three others for second in the NL behind Schmidt's .773.[3][39]
In the
Prior was forced to miss the first two months of the 2004 season due to an
Elbow inflammation caused Prior to start the 2005 season on the disabled list, though he was activated on April 12.
Returning from the DL on June 26, Prior limited the Chicago White Sox to one hit in six innings, earning the win in a 2–0 triumph.[51] He remained in the team's rotation the rest of the year, not having to miss time with any other injuries.[50] Against the Pirates on July 14, he allowed two hits and one unearned run in eight innings, earning the win in a 5–1 victory.[52] Prior finished the 2005 season with an 11–7 record in 27 starts, striking out 188 in 166+2⁄3 innings.[3] His 188 strikeouts were the ninth-most in the NL, despite his time missed due to injury.[53]
During the 2005 off-season, after
Eligible for arbitration, Prior asked for a pay raise from his 2006 salary of $3.65 million to $3.875 million for 2007. The Cubs avoided arbitration with Prior when he settled for a one-year $3.575 million contract for 2007.
Other organizations, comeback attempts
San Diego Padres (2008-09)
On December 26, 2007, Prior agreed to a $1 million, one-year, incentive-laden contract with the San Diego Padres.[66] Prior had hoped to pitch again by May or June of the 2008 season, but another tear of his right anterior capsule during his rehab in May 2008 required surgery on June 4 that forced him to miss his second consecutive season.[67][68] On January 13, 2009, Prior agreed to another one-year contract with the Padres, this one a minor league deal, which included a $1 million option if Prior pitched in the major leagues in 2009.[69] He was released from his contract on August 1, 2009, after the team was disappointed by a lack of progress in his rehab.[3][70]
Orange County Flyers (independent), Texas Rangers (2010)
By November 2009, throwing a ball 30 feet resulted in pain for Prior. That month, he hired Jackson Crowther, a former minor league pitcher who had also attended USC, to help him with his rehab. They focused on trying to grow muscle groups in the shoulder region, in hopes of helping stabilize the joint.[14] On June 30, 2010, Prior returned to USC to perform a workout for major league scouts,[71] but the workout was judged as "just all right" by an unnamed veteran scout.[72]
Unable to sign with a major league team, Prior agreed to an independent league contract with the
New York Yankees (2011)
Prior signed a one-year minor league contract with the
Boston Red Sox (2012)
Unsigned to begin the 2012 season, Prior secured a minor league contract with the
Cincinnati Reds (2013)
In February 2013, Prior called Baker, now manager of the Reds, to see if Cincinnati was interested in signing him. The Reds gave him a physical, and when he passed, they signed him to a minor league contract on March 1, 2013.[64][83] He made seven appearances for the Triple-A Louisville Bats but was placed on the disabled list in April with a shoulder injury. On June 28, the Reds released Prior. He announced his retirement from baseball in December.[84]
Pitching style
In his prime, Prior's repertoire of pitches included a mid-90s mph fastball, a curveball, and a changeup.[5] The fastball reached speeds of up to 97 miles per hour, at its fastest, while the curve featured a sharp, downward break, travelling about 10 miles per hour slower.[5][6] Teammate Wood praised his fearlessness and control: ""He's not worried about throwing an inside fastball to a Jeff Bagwell with men on second and third...If that's the pitch he needs to make, he'll make it."[5] Damian Miller, his catcher with the Cubs in 2003, compared him to Curt Schilling, noting that both pitchers threw a lot of high fastballs.[6] Daniel Habib of Sports Illustrated called him "fundamentally sound", also praising his "sophisticated approach" to hitters.[5]
Early in Prior's career, his pitching mechanics were touted as "perfect", according to The Sporting News.[21] House tried to help him develop a mechanically efficient and sound delivery.[4] Sports reporter Buster Olney called his mechanics "smooth, fluid, consistent," opining that his delivery made him less of an injury-risk than teammate Wood.[6] House said that same year, "He's up there with Nolan Ryan...he has better mechanics than Roger Clemens, if only by percentage points. He has Greg Maddux mechanics with a Kerry Wood/Nolan Ryan type of arm. He's going to, with maturity, get bigger and stronger, too. It's a gene-pool thing."[4] House also labelled Prior a "can't-miss" prospect.[85]
However, after Prior's rash of injuries, people reexamined his delivery. His throwing motion drew criticism from "armchair biomechanists", according to Yahoo.com.[85] Chris O'Leary speculated that some of the trouble was due to Prior's "Inverted W" arm action, in which he lifted his elbows above and behind the level of his shoulders, with the forearm pointing down.[86] According to O'Leary, this created a timing problem that placed an undue stress on the muscles and ligaments of the shoulder and elbow because the arm got up to the "cocked position" too late.[87] Similarly, Dick Mills, a former major league pitcher and co-author of The Science and Art of Baseball Pitching and Pitching.com, speculated that Prior's injuries were a result of scapular loading, a movement in which a pitcher's shoulder blades are pinched together and elbows are taken behind, and sometimes above, their shoulders.[88]
On the other hand, Ryan Fagan of The Sporting News speculated that Prior's injuries may have been the result of manager
Coaching career
After his playing career ended, Prior accepted a front office position with the Padres in 2013 as an assistant in the team's baseball operations department, in a capacity designed to acquaint him with how a baseball front office worked.[90] In 2015, he became San Diego's minor league pitching coordinator, serving in that capacity for three seasons. He was then hired by the Los Angeles Dodgers as their bullpen coach for the 2018 season. MLB columnist Tim Brown speculated that the Dodgers might groom Prior to take over as their pitching coach when Rick Honeycutt eventually retired.[91] Sure enough, after Honeycutt was reassigned in 2020, the Dodgers made Prior their pitching coach.[92]
Personal life
Prior married Heather Gora on November 15, 2003.[93] The couple have three children: Amanda, Caitlin, and Matthew.[14][94] After becoming a professional baseball player, Prior continued his education on a part-time basis and received a business degree from the USC Marshall School of Business in 2004.[95]
Notes
- ^ Prior and Giles had both been chosen to play in the All-Star Game, but were forced to miss the game as a result of their injuries.[25][26][27]
References
- ^ "Prior a definite two-year stud". ESPN.com. September 26, 2003. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
- ^ "Dodgers turn to Mark Prior as bullpen coach". ESPN.com. January 4, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Mark Prior Stats". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f Skolnick, Ethan J. (October 8, 2003). "Head of the Class". South Florida Sun Sentinel. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Habib, Daniel G. (July 7, 2003). "Double Whammy". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Olney, Buster (April 3, 2003). "Baseball; Cubs' Prior Is Polished Beyond His Years". The New York Times. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ Matthews, Will (April 14, 2007). "Price Sets All-Time VU Mark for Strikeouts". Vanderbilt University. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ a b "Hawpe, Hodges Lead Tigers Into CWS Driver's Seat". Louisiana State University. June 11, 2000. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ a b "Prior wins Golden Spikes Award". The Beaver County Times. December 11, 2001. p. B7. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
- ^ "Prior claims Howser Trophy". Wilmington Morning Star. Associated Press. June 9, 2001. p. 4C. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
- ^ "Mark Prior Wins 2001 Rotary Smith Award". University of Southern California. June 28, 2001. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Twins catch Mauer with top pick". ESPN. June 4, 2001. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "1st Round of the 2001 MLB June Amateur Draft". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
- ^ a b c Witz, Billy (August 30, 2010). "High Expectations Met With Similar Misfortune". The New York Times. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Prior strikes out 10 in big-league debut". ESPN. May 22, 2002. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Sosa hits league-leading 21st homer". ESPN. June 8, 2002. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Prior needs 136 pitches for first complete game". ESPN. August 4, 2002. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Sosa hits No. 41; Prior overpowers Astros". ESPN. August 15, 2002. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Prior leaves game with strained hamstring". ESPN. August 31, 2002. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ Jauss, Bill (September 3, 2002). "Prior done for year". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ a b c Fagan, Ryan (May 25, 2019). "What if? With Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, Cubs fans still wonder what might have been". The Sporting News. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Mark Prior 2003 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Montreal Expos at Chicago Cubs Box Score, April 9, 2003". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee Brewers Box Score, May 12, 2003". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ a b "Giles, Prior could miss All-Star Game after run-in". USA Today. Associated Press (AP). July 13, 2003. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
- ^ The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
- ^ a b "Cubs' pitcher goes on DL: Prior now paying for collision". Athens Banner-Herald. Athens, Georgia. AP. July 22, 2016. Archived from the original on October 12, 2016. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
- ^ "2003 All Star Game: Tuesday, July 15, 2003". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
- ^ "Chicago Heat: Kerry Wood and Mark Prior Fire Up the Cubs". Sports Illustrated. July 7, 2003. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
- ^ a b Vecsey, George (October 12, 2003). "Cubs Fans Have Been Close Before". New York Times. p. SP5. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ Lingebach, Chris (August 4, 2016). "Mark Prior: I don't blame Dusty Baker for what happened to me". CBS DC. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Mark Prior 2003 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ a b "Mark Prior Postseason Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ Davis, Tyler (October 7, 2015). "The Cubs' most memorable postseason moments". The Sporting News. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "2003 NL Team Statistics". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Throws six shutout innings in return from DL". ESPN. August 6, 2003. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs Box Score, September 27, 2003". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Chicago Cubs 7, Pittsburgh Pirates 2 (2nd Game)". ESPN. September 27, 2003. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "2003 NL Pitching Leaders". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ Johnson, Chuck (October 6, 2003). "Wood, Cubs finish off Braves; Chicago to face Florida in NLCS after 5-1 victory". USA Today. p. 1C.
- ^ "2003 National League Championship Series (NLCS) Game 2, Marlins at Cubs, October 8". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ Morrissey, Rick (October 16, 2003). "Game 6 collapse will define this team". The Chicago Tribune. p. 4.
- ^ "2003 National League Championship Series (NLCS) Game 6, Marlins at Cubs, October 14". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Prior retires first 13 batters". ESPN. June 4, 2004. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs Box Score, June 4, 2004". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ a b "Mark Prior 2004 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ "Padres trim wild-card lead to one game". ESPN. August 10, 2004. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ "Chicago's dumped five of last six". ESPN. September 30, 2004. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "San Diego at Chicago Cubs, Postponed (Rain)". ESPN. April 12, 2005. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ a b "Mark Prior 2005 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ "Chicago Cubs at Chicago White Sox Box Score, June 26, 2005". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs Box Score, July 14, 2005". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ "2005 NL Pitching Leaders". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ Rosenthal, Ken (December 22, 2005). "Cubs after Tejada, could move Prior". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on February 4, 2006. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Tigers tie club record with eight HRs as Rogers wins No. 200". ESPN. June 18, 2006. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Mark Prior 2006 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ a b "Trachsel wins seventh straight start as Mets dump Cubs". ESPN. July 14, 2006. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Nats' owners finish sale; players close out Cubs' Prior". ESPN. July 21, 2006. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee Brewers Box Score, August 10, 2006". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ a b "Prior on DL again, return this year 'questionable'". ESPN. August 12, 2006. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Cubs, Prior agree to one-year deal". ESPN. January 31, 2007. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
- ^ a b c "Prior out for season after shoulder surgery". ESPN. April 25, 2007. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ Anderson, Steve (2002). "Blading for real: Dr. James Andrews "the surgeon to the superstars" talks about how he puts all your favorite wrestlers back together again". Wrestling Digest. Archived from the original on September 22, 2007. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Buckland, Jason (July 20, 2013). "Prior Is Fighting His Body to Get Back to the Majors". The New York Times. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ Muskat, Carrie (December 13, 2007). "Cubs decide to non-tender Prior". MLB.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2008. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ Olney, Buster (December 26, 2007). "Padres add Prior to pitching mix". ESPN. Retrieved July 21, 2010.
- ^ Booth, Tim (May 16, 2008). "Padres' Mark Prior has another shoulder injury". Fox News. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Prior Signs Minor League Deal With Padres". NBC San Diego. January 14, 2009. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ Olney, Buster (January 13, 2009). "San Diego Padres agree to deals with RHP Mark Prior, INF". ESPN. Retrieved July 21, 2010.
- ^ "Padres release Mark Prior after slow rehab". Fox News. August 4, 2009. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "June's latest MLB news and notes - MLB News - FOX Sports on MSN". Msn.foxsports.com. June 30, 2010. Archived from the original on September 24, 2014. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
- ^ "Mark Prior workout "just alright"". Digitalsportsdaily.com. July 1, 2010. Archived from the original on July 4, 2010. Retrieved July 21, 2010.
- ^ "Former ace Mark Prior signs with minor league team". The Washington Times. August 3, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Mark Prior Minor & Independent League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ Durrett, Richard (September 3, 2010). "Rangers agree with Mark Prior". ESPN. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
- ^ a b Borzi, Pat (February 28, 2011). "His Health Back, Yankees' Prior Can Focus on Pitching". The New York Times. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Prior signs one-year deal with Yankees | MLB.com: News". Mlb.mlb.com. June 19, 2012. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
- ^ "Rays-Yankees game canceled by rain". ESPN. March 28, 2011. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
- ^ Gleeman, Aaron (April 20, 2011). "Yankees promote Mark Prior to Triple-A … and put him on DL". NBC Sports. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
- ^ Collins, Donnie (November 18, 2011). "Free agency means roster to look different in 2012". The Times-Tribune. p. B4. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
- ^ Krasner, Steven (May 3, 2012). "Boston Red Sox sign Mark Prior to minor league deal". ESPN. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
- ^ Mitrosilis, Terry (July 21, 2012). "Mark Prior's pitching transformation". ESPN. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
- ^ Schatz, Gary. "Reds sign RHP Mark Prior to minor league contract". AP NEWS. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
- ^ "Ex-Cubs phenom Mark Prior retires". ESPN. December 10, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
- ^ a b Passan, Jeff (March 12, 2009). "Pristine mechanics caused Prior pain". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ "Inverted W". Chrisoleary.com. July 26, 2007. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
- ^ "Mark Prior's Pitching Mechanics: A Different Perspective". Chrisoleary.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2010. Retrieved July 21, 2010.
- ^ Mills, Dick (April 24, 2007). "Mark Prior's Shoulder Surgery: Did The Towel Drill And "Scap Loading" Ruin His Career?". Pitching.com. Archived from the original on March 17, 2009. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ Prior, Mark (August 4, 2016). "Mark Prior: I have no regrets, no one to blame". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ Brock, Corey (March 10, 2014). "Prior reflects on career, transitions to front office". MLB.com. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
- ^ Brown, Tim (January 2, 2018). "Sources: Dodgers hire Mark Prior as bullpen coach". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
- ^ Calcatera, Craig (October 14, 2019). "Dodgers to reassign pitching coach Rick Honeycutt, Mark Prior to take over". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
- ^ Downey, Mike (November 15, 2003). "3rd place is money in the bank for Prior". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ "Mark Prior Coach Bio". MLB.com. Archived from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
- ^ Muskat, Carrie (May 14, 2004). "Notes: Prior gets business degree". MLB.com. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)