Richard Prokop

Richard Prokop

• Born October 10, 1973

Biographical Information

Richard Prokop pitched for the Czech national team in four European Championships. He was with them for the 1996 European Championship B Pool as they won a spot in the European Championship for the first time.

Prokop was 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in the round robin of the 1997 European Championship; only Martin Duda had a better ERA for the Czechs. From 1995-1999, he had a 4.27 ERA, 9th-best in the Czech Extraliga in that period. in 1999, he had a 4-4, 5.60 record for Sokol Krč, finishing among the league leaders in complete games (tied for 3rd), wins (tied for 7th) and innings pitched (45, 7th). In the 1999 European Championship, he allowed two runs in four innings in the round-robin.

In 2000, he was 5-4 with a 8.36 ERA for Sokol, tying for 8th in the league in wins and tied for 9th with 3 complete games. He was 2-0 with a save and a 6.98 ERA for the club (now Krč Altron) in 2001. In the 2001 European Championship, his last appearance for the Czech team, he was excellent (0 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 1 K in 5 1/3 IP). He did not play in the Extraliga in 2002. In 2003, he was 5-4 with a 4.72 ERA for Krč Altron, tying for 5th in wins, finishing third in IP (76 1/3) and tying Anatoliy Korolyov and Jakub Vančura for the lead with six complete games.

Prokop was 3-4 with a save and a 3.31 ERA in the 2004 Extraliga, finishing 5th in innings pitched (65 1/3) and tying for 5th with 3 complete games. In '05, the veteran was 2-3 with an ERA of 3.67. To that point, his career record was 39-30 with two saves and a 4.66 ERA in 533 IP, while hitting .213/.306/.293 in 75 at-bats. He was 1-0 in the 2005 European Championship, striking out four in 2 2/3 shutout innings while walking three. He got the win over Laurence Heisler and Greece.

From 2006-2008, Prokop was with the Patriots Liberec in the Czech minors. They made it to the Extrraliga in 2009 and the 35-year-old hurler went 3-7 with a 5.27 ERA to tie for 4th in losses and tied for 7th with 3 complete games. His playing time fell in 2010 with the Eagles Praha (3-1, 6.22) and 2011 (12 R, 7 ER in 8 2/3 IP, no decisions in 7 G). In 2012, he moved back out of the Extraliga with the Old Boys Praha.

Source: Czech Baseball Federation