Mark Prior Quotations

I was really surprised because of the way I felt throwing. I felt like I was throwing the ball well.

I have been told to keep it open-ended, don't set myself up.

I got what I was looking for ? a ground ball ? and unfortunately, it took a bad hop.

I don't know what adjustments I could make. My mechanics to me are about as simple as you could get.

We made a lot of mistakes as pitchers last year. We didn't cover the bag at first a few times, threw the ball to the wrong bases. I think we all need to make sure we're focused this spring on doing the things we need to get better at. They're small, but obviously very huge parts of the game.

I have never had a problem with Stone and don't believe he has a problem with me. I'm sure he's doing his job. He can say what he likes. He's well respected by fans and a lot of people in baseball.

I didn't have good command of my breaking ball or my fastball tonight. For whatever reason, things weren't clicking early on when I needed it.

I feel good. I like the way we've progressed and built it up. ... I like the way we're going about it.

I feel good. I like the way we've progressed and built it up. It's more volume to build up arm strength and then start getting into the other pitches. In the past, I've gone through my fastball bullpens and then I start mixing in breaking balls. I like the way we're going about it and I like the way I'm throwing the ball.

I felt out of synch all day. The ball never felt comfortable coming out of my hand.

I feel the same as I always do. I don't feel like I have to go out there and try to prove that I'm healthy or do anything out of the ordinary.

Henry had a great day. I'm glad he had a good day, especially after his birthday.

Jim (Hendry) never came out and said, 'We're looking to trade him,' so I don't really validate any of the rumors.

It felt a little awkward. But it was good to get up there and to start working to try to get down there on a nice angle and see a guy with a catcher's mitt and get after it.

I threw a lot in the first inning,

Three-hundred items is a very simple, straightforward thing to do. I knew what was being said here was extremely complicated and extremely lengthy.

I was out of sync, ... I felt out of sync all day. I never was able to get into a groove, for whatever reason -- I don't know. The ball never felt comfortable coming out of my hand today. My breaking ball was awful. Some days you show up and for whatever reason it doesn't line up.

I was probably a little tired. I was looking for a ground ball and I got it and it took a bad hop.

What he said didn't matter as much as how he looked. His stuff and his eyes looked like he was still in the second inning.

There have been a lot of rumors in my short career.

I've been on throwing programs before, but this one is a little more structured, trying to build up arm strength. I'm doing extended amounts of sets, throwing 20-25 at a certain distance and then taking a little break and going back a little bit farther. I think I'm responding to it well. We talked about it last year, that's how it would be - take it a little bit slower or a little bit more methodical.

I've represented the country twice and played on two USA teams. It's a great experience, it's an awesome experience. You can't describe it from an athletic standpoint.

It was unfortunate that it had come to this. I'm satisfied with the fact I was able to tell my side of the story.

I've always said I didn't behave rudely. I just want to move on.

This is his job. I respect the fact he wants to come back for the last two or three weeks of the season. He's worked hard to come back. Anything is possible. If he comes to the plate three or four times a game, he's going to have an impact on the game.

This is probably the one town, the one city, where you can never say they're jumping on the bandwagon. They're awesome. They're pretty remarkable.

Again, I apologize to them. I wish this never did happen.

It's not about personal achievements or personal wins, it's about winning as a team. We haven't won as many games as we would like as team,

I had been feeling good all spring. I don't know how else to put it. If they knew what I had, I wish they would tell me what I supposedly had and we could do something about it.

He started out not very sharp and he had 37 pitches in the first inning, ... That's almost three innings worth and we were debating whether or not to send him out in the seventh or not but he wanted to pitch and he ended the game strong.

The Cardinals have put two years together that have been unbelievable,

It's not like it snuck up on anybody that they were going to win the division.

It's nice but it's not about personal achievements or personal wins -- it's about winning as a team,

It's a cool idea, ... A lot of them come from the inner city or broken families where they might not get an education or be able to afford an education. They're not just taken away from their parents -- their parents are involved. There's one home for girls and two for boys, and they have a graduate student or social worker there who are like houseparents.

He's made some enemies in this clubhouse, for good or for bad. What I've learned in the four years is I don't take anything personally anymore. I respect the attention I get, and understand the scrutiny I'm under. I accept it and I'll go with it and take that responsibility and go out and pitch this year.

I don't take it personally. There's nothing I can do. I've never had a problem with Stone. I'm sure he's doing his job for the radio or whoever. Everybody has a right to their opinion and he can say what he likes. He's well respected by fans and a lot of people in the game of baseball.

My parents didn't raise me to be a professional player. They raised me to be a good person.

If the fans think I'm a savior, that's fine. But they have to understand I'm one of 25 guys. I can't do it all.

I'm not going to change. I'm not going to start clubbing or going out in limos. I'm laid-back, and I'm going to stay that way.

I don't think I've shied away from anybody. I'm not scared. I respect hitters, but I'm not afraid.

The way I pitch is the way I pitch. I'm not going to change my overall philosophy. I'll just go out and pitch.

I feel like the harder the work, the better off I'll be later in the season. If I don't work out, it's not so much my letting me down as it is letting everybody else down.

I'm not a guy who is out trying to promote myself. It's really not me.

I'm 27 and guys are pitching into their 40s now. For unfortunate reasons, I haven't been healthy since 2005. But I feel that I have a lot of great years ahead of me.

The kid was lying there and crying and yelling. What I saw was kind of traumatic. It was traumatic to the kid, and it was traumatic to me.