ThreeStrikesandOut

Not saying that I predicted this (I did, here), but, is anyone surprised that Mark Prior will not be finishing another season? I didn’t think so.

San Diego Padres pitcher Mark Prior will undergo season-ending surgery on his injured right shoulder, the latest medical setback to a once-promising career.

Padres manager Bud Black announced the decision to operate before Sunday’s game against the San Francisco Giants. Prior, one of the top young pitchers in the game for the Chicago Cubs just a few years ago, has not pitched in the majors since Aug. 10, 2006.

He had been trying to make a comeback with his hometown Padres this season, but his rehab process was shut down at extended spring training about two weeks ago when he had more soreness in the shoulder. Prior, 27, had surgery on the same shoulder in April 2007 while with the Cubs.

What’s ailing Prior this time?

The operation to repair the anterior capsule in Prior’s shoulder will be performed at Scripps Clinic as early as this week by team orthopedics Dr. Heinz Hoenecke and Dr. Jan Fronek.

The Padres won’t know when, or if, Prior will be able to pitch again until after the operation.

Not to be a smart-ass, know-it-all or anything, but I can tell the Padres the next time that Prior will pitch.  Well, actually I can’t, because they don’t make calendars with non-existent dates on them.  If they did, I’m pretty sure that Prior would probably make his next start on the 40th of June, 2010.  If he didn’t stub his toe first.

I feel like a big dummy.  I at least thought that he would make it to the All-Star break before falling to pieces.  That’s what I get for being such a damn optimist.

Chicago Tribune