Spring Strain

Photos Courtesy of Cubs.com

This is my wallpaper – in my desktop I mean. My fellow Cubs fans at work knew I have this as my wallpaper but few of my dear non-baseball-follower-friends do. “Who is that?” asked Anj and Lovie during separate times they had stayed in my place. This is Mark Prior, right-handed starting pitcher for the Cubs, my sports hero (yikes, which reminds me I feel old when I realize my sports hero is younger than me!). This is the reason why I began fervently following the Cubs (and their repeated disappointing fate). He joined the majors in 2002 and the fact that he chose to continue his education over a million-dollar offer from the Yankees while he was in USC earned my respect more. Prior to him joining the Cubs, I had casually followed the team’s results, not having the urge to watch the games on TV nor go to Wrigley Field (How I picked the Cubs over the Sox is the different story). Prior changed that. You can imagine how I felt when rumors fly around during the off-season that the Cubs will trade him (thank God it was all just rumors). I cannot fathom the Cubs without Prior.

If only he could stay healthy (I have no doubt in my mind he could win the Cy Young Award if he did). I don’t even wish for the Cubs to win anymore (doesn’t work anyway). I just hope that everyone stays healthy and injury-free all season. Especially Prior. Four days ago he complained of right shoulder pain and was diagnosed to have a strain of the subscapularis muscle. The news could have been worse.

I heard that line before. The last time was the scariest. It was last summer when we were beginning rounds while on lunch break, my attending getting back from picking up Thai food for the group. “Your Prior got hit by a line-drive”, said Dave. He was listening to the radio on his way back and told me what he’d heard (note how he said “your Prior” – he knew). When I saw the clip, I had feared his career is over – imagine getting struck in the elbow by more than 100-mile an hour baseball. The relief on learning that it was a hairline fracture of the lateral epicondyle, expecting him to recover after a couple of weeks, was overwhelming.

Looking at the brighter side, this strain is a minor setback. However, Prior would most likely start the season on the disabled list.

I heard that line before.