Nov 02 2008
Looking Back Five Years: Mark Prior
Mark Prior never even took the hill in a San Diego uniform. Photo: Getty Images
Five years ago if you asked a general manager what pitcher he would want if he was starting a team today few would have said another name besides that of Mark Prior, the Chicago Cubs 22 year old ace. In his first full season, Prior was toast of Chicago and had seemingly unlimited potential. He went 18-6 with a 2.43 era and had 243 strikeouts.
Since then almost nothing has done right for him. In 2004 he missed two months due to an Achilles injury, in 2005 he was hit on the elbow by a line drive, in 2006 he strained his shoulder, an oblique and tendinitis, in 2007 and 2008 he missed whole seasons with shoulder surgeries.
He declared for free agency and won’t likely command much more than a spring training invitation. He could potentially sign a minor league contract similar to Bartolo Colon’s last season.
