Published May 21, 2004 - Lansing State Journal

As expected, Wizards in awe of Cubs ace

By Jordan Bastian
For the Lansing State Journal

Single-A hitters rarely get to face a major league ace.

The Fort Wayne Wizards got that chance Thursday as Chicago Cubs pitcher Mark Prior joined the Lugnuts and dazzled the Wizards in three scoreless innings in which he struck out five.

"To be honest, I didn’t know what I was throwing," Prior said.

Brian Wahlbrink, the 24-year-old leadoff hitter for the Wizards knew what the first pitch of the game was - a 90-plus mph fastball on the corner.

"He just put that one on the inside black," Wahlbrink said. It was virtually an unhittable pitch. He is a lot more fluid than other guys."

Wahlbrink had a chance to see Prior pitch at the University of Southern California and said he intended on swinging at that first fastball. He eventually flew out to right field.

"Everyone knows he is going to throw fastballs," Fort Wayne manager Randy Ready said. "We got pitches to hit, but we just didn’t take advantage."

Prior faced a three-inning minimum of nine batters and would have had a perfect start if it were not for a walk issued to centerfielder Drew Macias.

Although the pitches he saw were out of the strike zone, Macias could not help but be in awe of Prior, who went 18-6 for the Cubs last season.

"He was not even 100 percent," Macias said. "I can’t even imagine what it would be like (if he was).

"It was so effortless. The ball just jumped out of his hand."

Fernando Valenzuela, Jr., the son of the former major league Cy Young winner, had the best at-bat of the night against Prior - a five-pitch battle in which he fouled off three pitches before flying out deep to left field.

"I was excited to get my first atbat," Valenzuela said. "He threw me one up and in, but after that I was digging in.

"We have seen him a lot on TV. So we have seen him and we know how he throws. When you get in there, though, it’s a little different."

Even with that game plan, Prior mowed down the Fort Wayne lineup in front of a sellout crowd and media from around the Midwest.

"It was good to get in there and strike some guys out and not allow any hits," Prior said.