The independent Golden League‘s Orange County Flyers announced last week that they had signed former Chicago Cubs All-Star pitcher Mark Prior.

“I want to get back out there and get some competitive games under my belt,” said Prior, who was a first-team All-American pitcher for USC in 2001. “It’s been a few years with a couple shoulder surgeries. I finally feel ...]]>

The independent Golden League‘s Orange County Flyers announced last week that they had signed former Chicago Cubs All-Star pitcher Mark Prior.

“I want to get back out there and get some competitive games under my belt,” said Prior, who was a first-team All-American pitcher for USC in 2001. “It’s been a few years with a couple shoulder surgeries. I finally feel that I’m at a point now that I can go out, compete and get guys out, so that’s the first step.”

Pitching for the Chicago Cubs for 5 seasons beginning in 2002, Prior won 42 games.  His best season came in 2003 when he went 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA.  In 2004 the injury bug bit Prior, beginning with an achilles tendon injury followed up by elbow and  shoulder injuries.  Prior had major shoulder surgery, didn’t pitch in 2007 and was subsequently cut by the Cubs.  The San Diego Padres took a chance on Prior but he had a recurrence of shoulder issues and he was released mid-season without ever having thrown a pitch.

Since then Prior has been training under the watchful eye of pitching guru Tom House for 9 months.  On June 30th, 20 scouts from Major League teams attended an open workout yet none extended Prior a single offer.  Regardless, the work with Tom House seems to have paid off – Prior is throwing in the 90′s again.

“He’s doing this to show people he can be durable and can continue to pitch,” House said. “My guess is he’ll get to the big leagues real quick.”

Both house and Prior believe that the path of least resistance to the big leagues lies in Prior pitching in a relief role -especially with the lack of quality relief pitchers available at the trade deadline.

So far, so good – in one appearance, anyway.  Prior pitched a scoreless sixth inning of relief in his Orange County Flyers debut, a 6-0 win over the Victoria Seals in the second game of Tuesday afternoon’s doubleheader.

Prior retired the top of the Seals order, including striking out Tim Rodriguez to end the inning, before turning the ball over to closer Andre Simpson.

Perhaps this will shed some hope on Dustin McGowan’s comeback  from shoulder surgery, which is not unlike Mark Prior’s.

Update: In 6 innings, Prior has dominated. He’s struck out 13 while walking only 3.  So far so good!

On Sunday, June 4, 1989 the Toronto Blue Jays staged one of the biggest comebacks in baseball history.  It was the 3rd game of a 3 game set for the Jays at Fenway and they were looking to sweep this critical series.  Down 10-0 after 6, the Jays scratched back to score 11 in the final 3 innings to send the ...]]>

On Sunday, June 4, 1989 the Toronto Blue Jays staged one of the biggest comebacks in baseball history.  It was the 3rd game of a 3 game set for the Jays at Fenway and they were looking to sweep this critical series.  Down 10-0 after 6, the Jays scratched back to score 11 in the final 3 innings to send the game to extras.  Junior Felix was the hero, hitting a 2 run shot in the top of the 12th.  Duane Ward pitched the final 3 innings for the win.  That’s just the Coles Notes version – for the real deal, watch and listen to the sultry tones of Tom Cheek recapping the game below.

With the feel good stories of Josh Hamilton and to a much lesser extent Jesse Litsch, I have been waiting with baited breath for the next one to come along. This one might be it!

Rick Ankiel began his Major-League Career as a left-handed pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. As a teenager he was both the High ...]]> Feel Good Story Watch

With the feel good stories of Josh Hamilton and to a much lesser extent Jesse Litsch, I have been waiting with baited breath for the next one to come along. This one might be it!

Rick Ankiel began his Major-League Career as a left-handed pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. As a teenager he was both the High School Pitcher of the Year and the Minor League Player of the Year. At age 20, his first full year in the bigs, he won 11 games for the Cardinals, struck out over a man per inning, and logged an ERA a run below the league average. He possessed a mid-90s fastball and a devastating curve his future seemed so bright he should have been wearing shades.

Ankiel grabbed public attention in the fall of 2000 when he lost his ability to throw strikes. After posting a successful 11-7 record during the season, Ankiel suddenly lost control in a playoff game against the Atlanta Braves, throwing pitch after pitch over his catcher’s head and into the backstop. With no physical problems evident, it was presumed that Ankiel’s problems were psychological. Ankiel returned to the Cardinals in 2001 but his problems resumed, and he was sent to the minor leagues. After further struggles he abandoned pitching in 2005 and switched positions, signing a minor-league contract with the Cardinals as an outfielder. He missed the entire 2006 season with an injury, but was resigned for the 2007 season and is currently playing with the Memphis Redbirds of the Pacific Coast League (AAA).

Ankiel has almost completed his transformation into a power hitting outfielder, leading the PCL with 19 HR while sporting a respectable OPS of .932. He doesn’t walk very often (12)and strikes out a little too much (54)for my liking, but the transformation is nothing short of remarkable considering the short amount of time he has had to hone his craft, not even including his extensive injuries. At 27 years old, it seems that, if the Cardinals are serious about him as a hitter, his shot as a big league hitter has to come soon. The Cardinals offense ranks 27th in the league in Runs and 21st in HRs. Keep your eye out for an Ankiel callup sometime soon.