The rest of people complaining about 2003 would have done the same damn thing with Prior and Wood as the Cubs were trying to get to the World Series.

Nice post BeerCub.

I thought this is solid research and should put to rest any of crap about Prior and 2003.

From Guyin NY:

Mark Prior, in his final starts of the season, WAS providing NECESSARY bullpen relief on September 1, 6, 11, 16, 21, 27.  In other words, in EVERY September start which Mark Prior made, he was taking the mound with the knowledge that he had a depleted bullpen which had been heavily taxed the night before.  Moreover, as an ace, Prior had to play the role of the stopper.  He did this successfully, recording wins the day after a loss on the 1st, and more importantly, the 21st and the 27th. As you look deeper, it becomes very clear that Mark Prior was living up to his billing as an ace down the stretch of the 2003 season as the Cubs made their run.

Prior's 9/1 start sees him go deep in preparation of a double header the next day.  His  9/6 start rested Borowski, Farnsworth and Alfonseca (used the day before) by allowing Baker to use "only" Veres and Remlinger.  On 9/10, Matt Clement gave only 5 IP.  The next day Mark Prior stepped in and  took the ball for 5 2/3's gutty IP (yes, there's a diff.  Prior had to have his PC run up so that he could give as much as possible to rest the pen, which was pretty battered.)  On 9/16, after a solid Matt Clement start, Prior provides further rest for a tired pen (check the previous games until Z's SH on 9/14) by giving 8 2/3's strong innings.  After Clement gets obliterated on the 20th, Prior steps in for a great start on the 21st and goes deep (7.2) to rest an obviously tired pen (Clement had only gone 3 the day before).  On the 27th, after an off day and coming off another key loss (in which Z only went 5 and Baker had to use most of the pen), Mark Prior stepped in and LIKE AN ACE goes 6 2/3's dominating IP (10 K's) to right the ship (enough cliches for you? :) ).  

The picture that's painted is a pretty simple one, and that is Mark Prior rising to the occasion and blossoming into an ace during the heat of a pennant race just as his club needed him most.   Remember, Prior's contributions are two fold : the deeper he goes in every start, the better rested the pen is in case of a poor outing AND with every strong start, Baker has reason to leave the best pitcher in the NL in to solidify a win.  Lesson?  It's hard to pull the best pitcher in the league when he's on fire and the title starved team's in the thick of a pennant race.

I hope this is enough for you, as you can see that Prior was doing his job and his performances were necessary in context.  Please remember one other thing that is sorely forgotten on a prospect site such as this.  Young pitchers are groomed in the hope that maybe, someday, they will be able to do what Mark Prior did for the 2003 Chicago Cubs.  He pushed them into the playoffs, and if it hadn't been for Steve Bartman, he likely would have pushed them into the World Series.  He was billed as an ace, and he lived up to that billing.