Mark William Prior (born September 7, 1980) is an American former
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Modern professiona ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or dr ...
and current
coach
Coach may refer to:
Guidance/instruction
* Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities
* Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process
** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers
Transportation
* Coac ...
. A onetime top prospect of the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...
, he pitched for the team from 2002 to 2006 in a career that was marred by injuries. In his prime, his repertoire of pitches included a mid-90s mph
fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. " Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thr ...
, a
curveball
In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curv ...
, and a
changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball.
The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...
. He is currently the
pitching coach
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, who determines the starting lineup and batting order, decides how to substitute players during the game, and makes strategy decisio ...
for the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...
.
Born and raised in
San Diego, California
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United Stat ...
, Prior engaged
Tom House as his pitching tutor in high school. A career at the
University of Southern California
, mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it"
, religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist
, established =
, accreditation = WSCUC
, type = Private research university
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $8.1 ...
, where he won the
Golden Spikes Award, saw him become one of the top prospects in the
2001 MLB draft
The 2001 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 5 and 6.
First round selections
Supplemental First Round Selections
Compensation Picks
Background
On June 1, 2001, Rolando Viera, a Cuban ba ...
, when he was the second overall pick by the Cubs. He made only six appearances in the
minor leagues
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in N ...
before debuting with the team in 2002. In 2003, he finished third in
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
(NL)
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Ha ...
voting, ranking among the leaders with 18 wins, a 2.43
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the numb ...
(ERA), and 245
strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is den ...
s. Helping the Cubs win the
NL Central title, he outpitched
Greg Maddux
Gregory Alan Maddux (born April 14, 1966) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four teams. Maddux is best known for his accomplishments while playing for the Atlanta Braves ...
in the
NL Division Series and won Game 2 of the
NL Championship Series, but he was on the mound for Game 6 when
Steve Bartman
The Steve Bartman incident was a controversial play that occurred during a baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and the Florida Marlins on October 14, 2003, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, during Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2003 postse ...
prevented
Moisés Alou from catching a foul ball.
Prior had pitched a scoreless game up to this point, but the
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The fran ...
went on to win the series in seven games after an eighth inning eight-run rally in that game, in which Prior received the loss. In 2004, he was on the
disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
twice but finished the season with a 16-strikeout performance against the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
. He made 27 starts with the Cubs in 2005 and finished ninth in the NL in strikeouts despite missing some time due to injury. Multiple injuries limited him to nine games in 2006, and he did not pitch at all in 2007 due to tears in his labrum, anterior capsule, and rotator cuff. After the season, the Cubs
non-tendered
Major League Baseball transactions are changes made to the roster of a major league team during or after the season. They may include waiving, releasing, and trading players, as well as assigning players to minor league teams.
Active, expanded, an ...
him, letting him become a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who i ...
.
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
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
'' and others,
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
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...
in 2013, then joined the Dodgers, becoming their pitching coach in 2020.
Amateur career
Born September 7, 1980, in
San Diego, California
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United Stat ...
, Prior was part of an athletic family. Jerry, his father, played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football in the United States, American football rules first gained populari ...
for
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1-million ...
, and both of Mark's older siblings played sports as well. "Being the youngest of three kids, there's no room for me to step out of line," he quipped.
Growing up, Prior attended the
University of San Diego High School. As a sophomore, he worked with former
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
(MLB)
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or dr ...
Tom House, who had a business of tutoring young pitchers. Using computer analysis to try to determine the ideal pitching motion, House worked with Prior on his delivery and prescribed a detailed workout regimen which the pitcher would continue to utilize as his career advanced.
He was originally drafted by the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
in the first round of the
1998 amateur draft and offered an approximately $1.5 million signing bonus, but the parties were unable to agree on a contract after negotiating all summer, and Prior chose to attend college instead, pursuing a business degree while playing
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
.
As a freshman, Prior went to Vanderbilt.
His coach with the
Vanderbilt Commodores
The Vanderbilt Commodores are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Vanderbilt University, located in Nashville, Tennessee. Vanderbilt fields 16 varsity teams (6 men's teams and 10 women's teams), 14 of which compete at the Nation ...
,
Tim Corbin, later listed him among the best pitchers he had ever coached. He then transferred to the
University of Southern California
, mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it"
, religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist
, established =
, accreditation = WSCUC
, type = Private research university
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $8.1 ...
(USC), posting a 10–7
record his sophomore year and leading the
USC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Southern California (USC), located in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the ''Trojans'', the women's athletic teams are referred ...
to the
2000 College World Series.
USC posted a 16–game winning streak before Prior helped USC reach the College World Series again in
2001
The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a multi-national coalition in an invasion of Afghanist ...
, posting a 15–1 record and a 1.69
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the numb ...
(ERA),
striking out 202 in
innings
An innings is one of the divisions of a cricket match during which one team takes its turn to bat. Innings also means the period in which an individual player bats (acts as either striker or nonstriker). Innings, in cricket, and rounders, is ...
while
walking
Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an ' inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults ...
just 18.
He won several awards that year, including the
Dick Howser Trophy, the
Golden Spikes Award, and the
Rotary Smith Award
The Rotary Smith Award was created in 1988 to honor the most outstanding college baseball player of the year. The award was founded by the Greater Houston Sports Association. In 1996, the Rotary Club
Rotary International is one of the largest ...
.
Professional career
Chicago Cubs
In 2001, Prior re-entered the
draft and was considered "the consensus top player," according to
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
. He was taken second overall by the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...
, behind
Joe Mauer
Joseph Patrick Mauer (born April 19, 1983) is an American former professional baseball catcher and first baseman, who spent his entire 15-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Minnesota Twins. A six-time All-Star, Mauer is the onl ...
, who was drafted by the
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
.
The Cubs signed Prior to a contract for $10.5 million, the highest signing bonus for a draft pick until the
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
gave
Stephen Strasburg
Stephen James Strasburg (; born July 20, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Strasburg was selected by Washington with the first overall pick in the 2009 Major League ...
$15 million in 2009.
After nine
starts in the minors, Prior was called-up to the big leagues in 2002 as a 21-year-old.
He made his Major League debut on May 22 at
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a Major League Baseball (MLB) stadium on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home of the Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charles Weeghman's Chicago ...
against the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
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
Samuel Peralta Sosa (born November 12, 1968) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball right fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 19 seasons, primarily with the Chicago Cubs. After playing for the Texas Rangers and C ...
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." On June 7, he threw 128 pitches and struck out 11 while allowing no runs in a 2–0 win over the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion ...
. He threw his first career
complete game
In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
on August 4, striking out 13, allowing one run, and throwing 136 pitches in a 4–1 win over the
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fi ...
. "I was kind of surprised that they did send me out there," he said, when he found out he was pitching the ninth. On August 15, he struck out seven hitters in a row, tying the Cubs' record shared by
Jamie Moyer
Jamie Moyer (born November 18, 1962) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Over his 25-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB), Moyer pitched for the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, Bost ...
and
Kerry Wood
Kerry Lee Wood (born June 16, 1977) is an American former baseball pitcher who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, and New York Yankees.
Wood first came to prominence as a 20-year-old ro ...
. In total, he struck out 12 in six innings, earning a
no decision
A no decision (sometimes written no-decision) is one of either of two sports statistics scenarios; one in baseball and softball, and the other in boxing and related combat sports.
Baseball and softball
A starting pitcher who leaves a game witho ...
in an eventual 6–4 win. During a game against the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
on August 31, he was removed because of a strained left hamstring. Two days later, the Cubs announced they were shutting him down for the rest of the year because of the injury. Prior finished his
rookie
A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year).
In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
campaign with a 6-6 record with a 3.32 ERA, and 147 strikeouts in innings pitched.
''
The Sporting News
The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...
'' called his rookie season "stellar," and he finished seventh in
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
(NL)
Rookie of the Year Award
A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year).
In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
voting.
In his second start of the 2003 season, Prior pitched his first career
shutout
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.
Shutouts are usuall ...
, striking out 12 and allowing four hits in a 3–0 win over the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in ...
.
In six innings on May 12, he allowed four runs to the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
but struck out 11 and earned the victory in an 11–5 triumph. He struck out 16 Brewers on June 26, allowing two runs in eight innings but getting a no decision in a 5–3 loss.
In the second inning of a game against the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in ...
on July 11, Prior had to exit after suffering a violent on-field collision with Atlanta second baseman
Marcus Giles. The injury forced him to the
disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
(DL) with shoulder stiffness.
Selected as
National League All-Stars in 2003, both Prior and fellow right-handed pitcher
Kerry Wood
Kerry Lee Wood (born June 16, 1977) is an American former baseball pitcher who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, and New York Yankees.
Wood first came to prominence as a 20-year-old ro ...
were dubbed "Chicago Heat" by ''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence tw ...
''. Sportswriter
George Vecsey
George Spencer Vecsey (born July 4, 1939) is an American non-fiction author and sports columnist for '' The New York Times.'' Vecsey is best known for his work in sports, but has co-written several autobiographies with non-sports figures. He is als ...
compared them to other famed rotation twosomes, like
Warren Spahn and
Lew Burdette, or
Randy Johnson and
Curt Schilling
Curtis Montague Schilling (born November 14, 1966) is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who is a commentator for conservative media outlet BlazeTV. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a World Series appearance ...
.
According to CBS Local, sportswriters and fans criticized Cubs manager
Dusty Baker on the high pitch counts of the two aces. Prior averaged 113.4 pitches per starts in the regular season, that number rising to 126.1 in September and 122.7 in the playoffs.
However, the contributions of the two
aces
ACeS (PT Asia Cellular Satellite) was a regional satellite telecommunications company based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It offered GSM-like satellite telephony services to Asian market. The coverage area included Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philip ...
helped lead the Cubs to an 88-win season and an
NL Central division title.
Against his hometown
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...
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. After his return, he compiled a 10–1 record, striking out 13, 14, and 10 in his final three starts of the season.
On September 27, he gave up two runs and struck out 10 in innings, defeating the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
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. Tied for the
second most wins as a NL pitcher with
Woody Williams in 2003, Prior finished third in NL
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Ha ...
voting after compiling an 18–6 win–loss record. His 2.43 ERA was third in the NL (behind
Jason Schmidt
Jason David Schmidt (born January 29, 1973), is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. In his career, he has played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2007–2009), San Francisco Giants (2001–06), Pittsburgh Pirates (1996–2001) and Atlan ...
'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.
In the
NL Division Series, the Cubs faced Atlanta, and Prior started Game 3 against former Cub
Greg Maddux
Gregory Alan Maddux (born April 14, 1966) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four teams. Maddux is best known for his accomplishments while playing for the Atlanta Braves ...
. Prior allowed two hits and one run, throwing a complete game and striking out seven as the Cubs won 3–1.
With a five-game series win over the Braves, the Cubs faced the Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The fran ...
in the NL Championship Series. Prior pitched into the eighth inning in Game 2, allowing three runs (two earned) and striking out five in a 12–3 victory, before taking the mound again in Game 6. For seven innings, he threw scoreless ball, allowing just three hits as the Cubs took a 3–0 lead. When Mike Mordecai
Michael Howard Mordecai (born December 13, 1967) is an American former professional baseball infielder, who played for the Atlanta Braves, Montreal Expos, and Florida Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). Since 2010, he has worked in the Tor ...
flew out against him to start the eighth, the Cubs were five outs away from playing in their first World Series since 1945. Then, Juan Pierre
Juan D'Vaughn Pierre (born August 14, 1977) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2000–2013 for the Colorado Rockies, Florida/Miami Marlins, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, C ...
hit a double
A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another.
Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to:
Film and television
* Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character
* ...
, bringing up Luis Castillo, who hit a foul ball down the left field line that outfielder
An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to cat ...
Moisés Alou gave chase to. The ball came down at the edge of the stands, and Steve Bartman
The Steve Bartman incident was a controversial play that occurred during a baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and the Florida Marlins on October 14, 2003, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, during Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2003 postse ...
, a fan, reached for it, preventing Alou from making the catch. Castillo went on to walk, and Prior and the Cubs never recovered from the incident. Prior struggled with his command and gave up the lead with the aid of poor defensive play, most notably a booted ground ball by shortstop Alex Gonzalez that might have resulted in a double play
In baseball and softball, a double play (denoted as DP in baseball statistics) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous play. Double plays can occur any time there is at least one baserunner and fewer than two outs.
In Major Lea ...
. After Derrek Lee
Derrek Leon Lee (born September 6, 1975), nicknamed "D-Lee", is an American former professional baseball first baseman. Lee played with the San Diego Padres, Florida Marlins, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates ...
hit an RBI double off him that tied the game and put runners at second and third, Prior was removed from the game and replaced with Kyle Farnsworth. The Marlins went on to score eight runs that inning, and Prior was charged with the loss in the 8-3 defeat. The Cubs went on to lose Game 7, and their 94-year-long World Series drought continued.
Prior was forced to miss the first two months of the 2004 season due to an achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon or heel cord, also known as the calcaneal tendon, is a tendon at the back of the lower leg, and is the thickest in the human body. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius (calf) and soleus muscles to the calcaneus ...
injury and elbow soreness. In his return on June 4, he struck out eight Pirates, allowing two hits and no runs in six innings, though the Cubs lost 2–1. His ERA went up to 5.05 after he gave up seven runs over three innings in an 8–6 loss to San Diego on August 10, and Ramon Hernandez of the Padres noticed a difference. "When I faced Prior the first time in my life he was throwing 96, 97. Today he was throwing 91-94 and he was a little wild and out of the zone. He was hurt for a long time. It might take a little bit of time for him to be the Prior that everybody has seen." Prior posted a 3.06 ERA after that, and in his last three games of the season, he allowed just two runs in innings. He tied a career-high by striking out 16 Cincinnati Reds over nine innings in his "best game of the season" according to ESPN, though the Cubs went on to lose 2–1 in the 12th inning. Prior finished 2004 with a 6-4 record and a 4.02 ERA in 21 starts, striking out 139 in innings.
Elbow inflammation caused Prior to start the 2005 season on the disabled list, though he was activated on April 12. He won his first three starts and posted a 2.93 ERA through May 27. However, against the Rockies that day, Prior was hit on his right (pitching) elbow by a 117-mph comeback line drive
In the sports of baseball and softball, a batted ball is a pitch that has been contacted by the batter's bat. Batted balls are either fair or foul, and can be characterized as a fly ball, pop-up, line drive, or ground ball. In baseball, a fou ...
off the bat of Brad Hawpe
Bradley Bonte Hawpe (born June 22, 1979) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. Hawpe played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies, Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Before he be ...
, giving him a compression fracture. This sent him to another stint on the DL. Coincidentally, Hawpe had hit a three-run home run off Prior in the 2000 College World Series while playing for the Louisiana State University Tigers.
Returning from the DL on June 26, Prior limited the Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
to one hit in six innings, earning the win in a 2–0 triumph. He remained in the team's rotation the rest of the year, not having to miss time with any other injuries. 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. Prior finished the 2005 season with an 11–7 record in 27 starts, striking out 188 in innings. His 188 strikeouts were the ninth-most in the NL, despite his time missed due to injury.
During the 2005 off-season, after Nomar Garciaparra left the Cubs via free agency
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is ...
, Prior was mentioned by Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports
Fox Sports is the brand name for a number of sports channels, broadcast divisions, programming, and other media around the world.
The ''Fox Sports'' name has since been used for other sports media assets. These assets are held mainly by the F ...
as part of a possible deal for Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...
's shortstop Miguel Tejada
Miguel Odalis Tejada ( Tejeda; born May 25, 1974) is a Dominican former professional baseball shortstop who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for six teams, most notably the Oakland Athletics and Baltimore Orioles, befo ...
, but this trade did not come to pass. As in 2005, Prior started the 2006 season on the disabled list. This time, though, it was because of a strained right shoulder, and the injury caused him to miss the first two months of the 2006 season. His debut came on June 18, when he had what ESPN called "one of the worst outings of his career" against the Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
, giving up six runs in the first inning and lasting just innings before being pulled. Prior was 0–4 in four starts with a 7.71 ERA, until he was once again put on the disabled list on July 14, after straining his left oblique muscle while taking batting practice
B backdoor breaking ball
:A breaking pitch, usually a slider, curveball, or cut fastball that, due to its lateral motion, passes through a small part of the strike zone on the outside edge of the plate after seeming as if it would miss the ...
on July 8. Since he had not pitched since July 4, he was eligible to return on July 21 against the Nationals. He pitched only innings before he was pulled out of the game, allowing four runs and taking a no decision in an eventual 7–6 loss. Against the Brewers on August 10, Prior's pitch speed slowed in the third inning of his start. He was replaced by Juan Mateo
Juan Manuel Mateo (born December 17, 1982) is a former professional baseball pitcher. A right-handed starting pitcher, he played part of the 2006 season in Major League Baseball with the Chicago Cubs. He last played for the Vaqueros Laguna in the ...
in the fourth inning, having allowed six runs (five earned) in an eventual 8–6 defeat. Two days later, he was placed on the disabled list (tendinitis) for the third time that season, missing the remainder of the year. He finished the 2006 season with a 1–6 record and a 7.22 ERA in nine starts, striking out 38 against 28 walks in innings.
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. Prior found himself competing with Wade Miller
Wade, WADE, or Wades may refer to:
Places in the United States
* Wade, California, a former settlement
* Wade, Maine, a town
* Wade, Mississippi, a census-designated place
* Wade, North Carolina, a town
* Wade, Ohio, an unincorporated commu ...
to be the Cubs' fifth starter in 2007, and he was optioned to the minor leagues before the season began. After one start in the minors, in which he gave up three runs and got the win, Prior received exploratory surgery on his right shoulder by James Andrews, a noted orthopedic surgeon; the procedure showed evidence of vast structural damage. There were tears in Prior's labrum, anterior capsule, and rotator cuff. As a result, Prior missed the rest of the 2007 season. Cubs general manager
A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...
(GM) Jim Hendry said that anything provided by Prior or Wood would be "gravy" and he hoped that this would come to fruition. The Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. new ...
reported that the injury was not expected to be career-ending. Prior was non-tender
Major League Baseball transactions are changes made to the roster of a major league team during or after the season. They may include waiving, releasing, and trading players, as well as assigning players to minor league teams.
Active, expanded, an ...
ed on December 12, 2007, ending his tenure with the Cubs.
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
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...
. 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. 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. He was released from his contract on August 1, 2009, after the team was disappointed by a lack of progress in his rehab.
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. On June 30, 2010, Prior returned to USC to perform a workout for major league scouts, but the workout was judged as "just all right" by an unnamed veteran scout.
Unable to sign with a major league team, Prior agreed to an independent league contract with the Orange County Flyers of the Golden Baseball League
The Golden Baseball League was an independent baseball league based in San Ramon, California, with teams located in the western United States, western Canada and northwest Mexico.
The GBL was not affiliated with Major League Baseball or the orga ...
on August 3, 2010. Used out of the bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...
for the team, he posted an 0.82 ERA in nine games, striking out 22 hitters in 11 innings. On September 3, he signed with the Texas Rangers on a minor league contract. He pitched one scoreless inning for their Triple-A affiliate, the Oklahoma City RedHawks
Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New M ...
.
New York Yankees (2011)
Prior signed a one-year minor league contract with the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
for the 2011 season, though he was an unlikely candidate to make the Yankees' roster because their only projected vacancy was for a long reliever. Prior was assigned to start the year with the Single-A
Class A, also known as Single-A and sometimes as Low-A, is the fourth-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States, below Triple-A, Double-A, and High-A. There are 30 teams classified at the Single-A level, one for each ...
advanced Tampa Yankees
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough ...
in Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...
rather than joining the colder weather Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in order to work on his transition to a relief pitcher. After just four games, he was promoted to Scranton on April 20 but promptly placed on the disabled list with a groin injury. Ultimately, Prior would make 11 appearances in the minor leagues for the Yankees, only one of which was at Triple-A. He was granted free agency on November 2, 2011.
Boston Red Sox (2012)
Unsigned to begin the 2012 season, Prior secured a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
on May 2 and pitched in their extended spring training program. Later joining the Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox, known colloquially as the PawSox, were a professional minor league baseball club based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. From 1973 to 2020, the team was a member of the International League and served as the Triple-A affiliate ...
, he provided the Triple-A team with "stellar" pitching, according to Teddy Mitrosilis of ESPN, though he was walking too many hitters. In 19 games for Pawtucket (all in relief), Prior had a 1–0 record, a 3.96 ERA, and 38 strikeouts in 25 innings, though he walked 23. He was released by the Red Sox on August 17 in order to make room for a newly-acquired prospect on the roster.
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. He made seven appearances for the Triple-A Louisville Bats
The Louisville Bats are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Louisville, Kentucky, and are named in dual reference to the winged mammal and basebal ...
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.
Pitching style
In his prime, Prior's repertoire of pitches included a mid-90s mph fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. " Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thr ...
, a curveball
In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curv ...
, and a changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball.
The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...
. 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. 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." Damian Miller
Damian Donald Miller (born October 13, 1969) is a former professional baseball catcher. He won the 2001 World Series with the Arizona Diamondbacks, beating the New York Yankees.
High school years
Miller attended West Salem High School in West S ...
, his catcher with the Cubs in 2003, compared him to Curt Schilling
Curtis Montague Schilling (born November 14, 1966) is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who is a commentator for conservative media outlet BlazeTV. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a World Series appearance ...
, noting that both pitchers threw a lot of high fastballs. Daniel Habib of ''Sports Illustrated'' called him "fundamentally sound," also praising his "sophisticated approach" to hitters.
Early in Prior's career, his pitching mechanics were touted as "perfect," according to ''The Sporting News''. House tried to help him develop a mechanically efficient and sound delivery. Sports reporter Buster Olney
Robert "Buster" Olney (born ) is an American sports journalist for ESPN, ''ESPN: The Magazine'', and ESPN.com. He previously covered the New York Giants and New York Yankees for ''The New York Times''. He is also a regular analyst for the ES ...
called his mechanics "smooth, fluid, consistent," opining that his delivery made him less of an injury-risk than teammate Wood. House said that same year, "He's up there with Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan Jr. (born January 31, 1947), nicknamed "the Ryan Express", is an American former professional baseball pitcher and sports executive. Over a record 27-year playing career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanning four decades, 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." House also labelled Prior a "can't-miss" prospect.
However, after Prior's rash of injuries, people reexamined his delivery. His throwing motion drew criticism from "armchair biomechanists," according to ''Yahoo.com''. 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. 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. 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.
On the other hand, Ryan Fagan of ''The Sporting News'' speculated that Prior's injuries may have been the result of manager Dusty Baker overusing him in his early career, also pointing to his shoulder injury after running into Giles as a potential source of the trouble. Critics made Baker their "scapegoat," according to Jason Buckland of the ''New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', blaming him for overusing his young pitcher. Prior himself speculated that the Giles injury and Hawpe's line drive were big factors. He said "I don’t blame Dusty for what happened to me," observing that Baker had to balance how often to use the pitchers with making decisions that would help the Cubs win.
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. 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
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...
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
Frederick Wayne Honeycutt (born June 29, 1954) is an American former professional baseball coach and pitcher. Honeycutt pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for six different teams over 21 years, from 1977 to 1997. He pitched in 30 post-season ...
eventually retired. Sure enough, after Honeycutt was reassigned in 2020, the Dodgers made Prior their pitching coach.
Personal life
Prior married his fiancee, Heather Gora, on November 15, 2003. The couple have three children: Amanda, Caitlin, and Matthew. 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
The USC Marshall School of Business is the business school of the University of Southern California. It is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
In 1997 the school was renamed following a $35 million donation fr ...
in 2004.
Notes
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prior, Mark
1980 births
Living people
National League All-Stars
Chicago Cubs players
Vanderbilt Commodores baseball players
USC Trojans baseball players
Golden Spikes Award winners
Major League Baseball pitchers
Lansing Lugnuts players
Peoria Chiefs players
Iowa Cubs players
West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx players
Orange County Flyers players
Oklahoma City RedHawks players
Tampa Yankees players
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees players
Pawtucket Red Sox players
Gulf Coast Yankees players
Baseball players from San Diego
Louisville Bats players
All-American college baseball players
Los Angeles Dodgers coaches
Major League Baseball bullpen coaches
University of San Diego High School alumni