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Texas Rangers Acquire Mark Prior from Orange County Flyers

September 3, 2010 - Golden Baseball League (GBL)
Orange County Flyers News Release


WAILUKU, Hawai'i (September 3, 2010) - After exactly one month with the Orange County Flyers, former National League All-Star Mark Prior has been acquired by the Texas Rangers today and, according to Flyers manager Paul Abbott, will be assigned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Prior, who turns 30 on September 7, spent a month with the Flyers as a relief pitcher, throwing 11.0 innings over nine outings, striking out 22 of 44 total batters faced while not allowing an earned run.

Prior worked with Abbott, an 11-year MLB veteran in his first year as Flyers manager, during his time with Orange County on developing the proper tools to come out of the bullpen. Last week, Prior pitched on back-to-back days for the first time in his professional career. On Tuesday, he threw a scoreless 8th inning for Orange County with two strikeouts against Na Koa Ikaika Maui, the team the Flyers will face in the first round of the playoffs starting next week. Prior signed with Orange County on August 3, throwing a 1-2-3 inning of relief in his Flyers debut against the Victoria Seals. He struck out five consecutive batters in his next outing. In his 11 innings of work, Prior allowed one unearned run on five hits with five walks and 22 strikeouts with opponents batting .143 against him.

"It's a great day for Mark Prior, getting back into affiliated baseball," said Abbott. "He came here to face competitive baseball and see if his arm would hold up, and he passed that initial test. Now he's ready for the next step. He was a true professional while he was here. He was a Flyer, he was one of the guys, and he's going to be missed."

Prior spent five seasons with the Chicago Cubs from 2002-2006, starting 30 games in 2003 while going 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA over 30 starts earning a NL All-Star spot and finishing 3rd in NL Cy Young voting. Over five years in the big leagues, he went 42-29 with a career 3.51 ERA and 757 strikeouts over 106 starts spanning 657 innings of work. He has not pitched in the major leagues since 2006. The Cubs selected the former USC Trojan standout with the second overall pick in the 2001 draft after Prior won the Golden Spikes Award as the nation's top amateur player.

"It was a great experience for the Flyers to provide Mark a platform to display his skills and get noticed," said Harris Tulchin, executive VP of player personnel. "We wish him the best of luck with the Rangers."

Prior is the second Flyers player acquired by a Major League club this season - outfielder Ben Johnson was picked up by the Detroit Tigers on June 12 - and the 11th Flyer since 2007.

The Flyers are in Hawaii taking on Na Koa Ikaika Maui in a seven-game series to wrap up the regular season before beginning the South Division best-of-five playoff series in Maui on Tuesday, September 7. Orange County returns home to Goodwin Field to host Game 3 on Friday, September 10 at 7:05pm. OC will also host, if necessary, Games 4-5 on Saturday and Sunday. For ticket information please call the Flyers front office at (714) 526-8326 or visit www.OrangeCountyFlyers.com for more information.

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