Depressing Fact of the Day

[Saber]

Mark Prior is only 29 years old.

[DirtyKash]

2010 comeback pitcher of the year, book it!

[love_that_reefer]

With the arm of a 56 year old.

[realmofotalk]

Yeah, it's a shame but guess what? Prior still ended up as the best pitcher selected in the first round of the 2001 draft.

[Kingdom]

Guess that depends on how long Gavin Floyd remains an average starter.

[aTrUeCUBsFaN]

Yeah, it's a shame but guess what? Prior still ended up as the best pitcher selected in the first round of the 2001 draft.

Wow, that's depressing.

[realmofotalk]

It makes me wonder how all these pitching mechanics experts figured out Mark Prior's problem but offer absolutely nothing to explain why studs Matt Riley, Jesse Foppert, etc. blew out their elbows and were never the same after.

[missionhockey21]

Wow, Jesse Foppert... that takes me back (both in terms of following actual prospects and Foppert's very effective sim career with the S3SL as a strikeout king.)

[browntown653]

I saw a Cubs icon and the thread title and figured it had to be a sarcastic quip about the World Series drought.

But this is actually sad.

[aTrUeCUBsFaN]

I saw a Cubs icon and the thread title and figured it had to be a sarcastic quip about the World Series drought.

That hurts. No need to rub salt into the wound.

[DirtyKash]

• Prior engagements: Just because you haven't heard Mark Prior's name in a while -- like possibly since 2006 -- doesn't mean the one-time Cubs prodigy is retired. Heck, no. Prior won't even turn 30 until this September. And he's carefully working his way back from his second shoulder surgery, trying to make one more comeback.

It's slightly more than 20 months since Dr. James Andrews performed that most recent operation, to repair a torn shoulder capsule. Now Prior's agent, John Boggs, tells Rumblings that Prior is throwing off a mound in California, trying to ease his way back to health.


"Mark has been through so many timelines, at this point I'm almost allergic to the word," Boggs said. "But he's out there. He's getting himself ready. And when he's ready, I'm sure you'll hear a lot about him. Then we'll invite teams to come watch him throw. And hopefully, he'll be the next Ben Sheets."

Jayson Stark: Florida Marlins' recent signing of Josh Johnson could lean to possible labor unrest - ESPN

[NYgiantsfan5689]

I don't see how "The next Ben Sheets" is really that good of a thing

[HollywoodLeo]

I don't see how Prior can even be "the next Ben Sheets"

Sheets has had a much healthier career than Prior...which is a pretty funny, but true fact.

[General]

Wow, Jesse Foppert... that takes me back (both in terms of following actual prospects and Foppert's very effective sim career with the S3SL as a strikeout king.)

Yay J-Fop. I remember when he pitched a no-hitter for me with his ratings at around 8-3-5.

[missionhockey21]

Ha. I remember that now too.

I just thought of one of the most depressing jobs to have... Mark Prior's agent. I wonder if instead of paying Boggs, as he does not earn a wage, if Boggs gets like 10% of Prior's surgeries or something. What's his cut?