Cubs News: Mark Prior on injury: "I don't blame Dusty Baker" |
Tony Crumpton
· · Friday, August 05 2016
Former Cubs pitcher Mark Prior had unlimited potential but his career was marred by shoulder and arm injuries.
Many Cubs fans believe that former manager Dusty Baker overused Prior (and Kerry Wood) in 2003 with his high pitch count that averaged 113.4 pitches for the ENTIRE season. In September, Prior averaged 126 pitchers per start and over 120 pitchers in the playoff. "(Fans) believe that (Baker) overused me in 2003 and blah, blah, blah," Prior said via Sports Illustrated. "Only, here's the thing: I don't blame Dusty for what happened to me," Prior said. "I wouldn't change a single thing that happened during that season? — beyond us failing to bring a World Series championship to Chicago, of course. No matter how many pitches I threw, I never asked to come out of a game — ?doing so would have been unthinkable." Prior finished his career with a 42-29 record with a 3.51 ERA with 757 strikeouts. He is currently the Padres' minor-league pitching coordinator.
