Prior delayed again

[Joe_Cub]

This is getting really old. If he's hurt they should stop lying about it.

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-060304cubsbits,1,2446972.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

 

March 4, 2006, 9:13 PM CST

 

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—Mark Prior's Cactus League debut remains on hold while the Cubs continue to monitor his arm strength.

 

It's the second delay for Prior, who was supposed to make his first start by next Friday. News of Kerry Wood's knee injury, combined with Prior's absence from spring games, makes some fans skeptical about Prior's health status.

 

"The last couple of years he hadn't pitched in spring training [much], but you've got to remember last year he didn't pitch much and only missed one [regular-season] start until he got hit with the line drive," pitching coach Larry Rothschild said.

 

"Maybe he's not a spring-training guy. You hate to think about it that way, but ... I can understand [the skepticism]. There's no question. It will ease everybody's minds once he gets on the mound, gets into action and gets the arm strength where it should be."

 

Rothschild said Prior's tentative schedule would include a heavy bullpen session Sunday, light throwing on Monday and another bullpen session on Tuesday. He'll likely face hitters for the first time Thursday.

[Mizzou]

Why am I not surprised?

 

Man I hate this organization sometimes.

[Omar]

*Plays "You Cant Always Get What You Want"*

[Jon]

Looks like half an article of nothing. All they did was push back his first session against hitters a couple of days and he's still throwing a good number of pitches in bullpen sessions.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

So they pushed him back a couple of days and Paul Sullivan freaks out. Sounds about right for Sullivan.

[bc2k]

I hate waiting for more information to become public. This waiting part is what snarls my stomach.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

What else is new?

[Outshined_One]

All this and weather after our commercial!

[bc2k]

Didn't Bruce Miles assure us that there's nothing wrong with Prior? I believe him over Sullivan.

[Jon]

Didn't Bruce Miles assure us that there's nothing wrong with Prior? I believe him over Sullivan.

Well, it's all how it's framed. Yes Prior has been "delayed," but only in terms of when they thought he was going to be ready to throw to hitters. Nobody can be expected to keep to a schedule exactly. The bottom line is that not only is Prior not being shut down, his actual progress isn't being delayed. He's still going forward, building up arm strength, and isn't experiencing pain. There's really nothing at all to worry about in terms of what Rothschild said today.

[2242005CY]

So they pushed him back a couple of days and Paul Sullivan freaks out. Sounds about right for Sullivan.

 

Excuse me but, shouldn't he be pitching? For what reason do they keep pushing him back? ST games have now started and he's still not throwing to hitters! The only pitchers I see still not throwing are pitchers that are hurt. Not saying he is hurt, but there is something definitely going on here and the Cubs don't seem to be honest about it, big surprise.

 

I think this is slightly past the "oh, but there's nothing to be worried about" stage, cuz quite honestly, if you're not, you should be. I know I am.It simply is not normal for a MLB Pitcher at this stage of camp to not even be throwing to hitters and to be "delayed".

[2242005CY]

Didn't Bruce Miles assure us that there's nothing wrong with Prior? I believe him over Sullivan.

Well, it's all how it's framed. Yes Prior has been "delayed," but only in terms of when they thought he was going to be ready to throw to hitters. Nobody can be expected to keep to a schedule exactly. The bottom line is that not only is Prior not being shut down, his actual progress isn't being delayed. He's still going forward, building up arm strength, and isn't experiencing pain. There's really nothing at all to worry about in terms of what Rothschild said today.

 

Bullpen sessions are overrated. Bullpen sessions are nothing compared to facing live hitters. Obviously his "bullpen" sessions haven't been to encouraging if they have "delayed" his scheduled time to face live hitters.

 

If there's anything I've learned from the Cubs over the last couple years, especially when it comes to the 2 golden kids, is to read between the lines and to take everything they say with a grain of salt.

[Outshined_One]

It's suspicious, but at the same time, it's happened enough over the past few years that it comes as no surprise.

 

My current money for Prior's freak injury du jour is on:

 

"Mark is walking along in Grant Park in June when he passes under a tree. At this moment, a squirrel falls out of the tree and lands on Prior's head. The squirrel freaks out, then claws and bites Prior's face and neck. Doctors diagnose Prior with rabies, causing Prior to miss the rest of the season."

 

I got 10-1 odds on it. :D

[Andy]

It's suspicious, but at the same time, it's happened enough over the past few years that it comes as no surprise.

 

My current money for Prior's freak injury du jour is on:

 

"Mark is walking along in Grant Park in June when he passes under a tree. At this moment, a squirrel falls out of the tree and lands on Prior's head. The squirrel freaks out, then claws and bites Prior's face and neck. Doctors diagnose Prior with rabies, causing Prior to miss the rest of the season."

 

I got 10-1 odds on it. :D

Then, in the next couple of weeks, there are hundreds of articles written about how the Cubs should trade the injury-prone Prior. Only half of these articles will actually mention the injury's cause, and those that do will stick it in at the very end.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

So they pushed him back a couple of days and Paul Sullivan freaks out. Sounds about right for Sullivan.

 

Excuse me but, shouldn't he be pitching? For what reason do they keep pushing him back? ST games have now started and he's still not throwing to hitters! The only pitchers I see still not throwing are pitchers that are hurt. Not saying he is hurt, but there is something definitely going on here and the Cubs don't seem to be honest about it, big surprise.

 

I think this is slightly past the "oh, but there's nothing to be worried about" stage, cuz quite honestly, if you're not, you should be. I know I am.It simply is not normal for a MLB Pitcher at this stage of camp to not even be throwing to hitters and to be "delayed".

 

I don't see the point in getting bent out of shape now over this news - this isn't worthy of actually getting worked up about. Either you should be worried already about why Prior hasn't faced live batters (like you are) or not be worried yet. I can't see how this is the tipping point.

Edited March 5, 2006 by CaliforniaRaisin

[bmkhawk]

Good Lord, some of you are paranoid.

[UMFan83]

This organization is pathetic, and for those that don't agree with me, prove otherwise. Please, I dare you to.

[Laura]

It's suspicious, but at the same time, it's happened enough over the past few years that it comes as no surprise.

 

My current money for Prior's freak injury du jour is on:

 

"Mark is walking along in Grant Park in June when he passes under a tree. At this moment, a squirrel falls out of the tree and lands on Prior's head. The squirrel freaks out, then claws and bites Prior's face and neck. Doctors diagnose Prior with rabies, causing Prior to miss the rest of the season."

 

I got 10-1 odds on it. :D

Then, in the next couple of weeks, there are hundreds of articles written about how the Cubs should trade the injury-prone Prior. Only half of these articles will actually mention the injury's cause, and those that do will stick it in at the very end.

 

If Prior gets attacked by a posse of rabid squirrels, I'd probably advocate a trade at that point, too.

[bc2k]

Didn't Bruce Miles assure us that there's nothing wrong with Prior? I believe him over Sullivan.

Well, it's all how it's framed. Yes Prior has been "delayed," but only in terms of when they thought he was going to be ready to throw to hitters. Nobody can be expected to keep to a schedule exactly. The bottom line is that not only is Prior not being shut down, his actual progress isn't being delayed. He's still going forward, building up arm strength, and isn't experiencing pain. There's really nothing at all to worry about in terms of what Rothschild said today.

 

What?

[Bgbird68]

If he was healthy, like they say he is, then he would be pitching.

 

Until he starts pitching in games, one can only assume he isn't healthy.

 

There is no arguing that point.

[CubinNY]

If he was healthy, like they say he is, then he would be pitching.

 

Until he starts pitching in games, one can only assume he isn't healthy.

 

There is no arguing that point.

 

I concur. I freaking feel like Bill Murry in Groundhoug Day.

 

Maybe the Cubs should reassess their reassessment of thier reassessment and try something altogether different with these guys. At this point I don't know what to think.

 

I really wonder how much all those 2003 innings hurt the long term future of both Wood and Prior. Thank goodness that Zambrano wore down in late July or he might be right there with them.

Edited March 5, 2006 by CubinNY

[Balsa]

I'm more worried about Wood than Prior. This article says nothing new.

[Bgbird68]

I'm more worried about Wood than Prior. This article says nothing new.

 

Forget Wood. Wood cannot and should not be counted on to consistently start games.

 

Prior has to be the Prior of old for the Cubs to have any chance.

[Roast]

Well, at this point that news doesnt seem too damaging. I'd like to see a report from a creadable journalist (MILES) about this, however. But the fact still remains, if he does turn out to be injured, and we start this year wood and priorless again, i will most likely explode. or something.

[Jon]

Didn't Bruce Miles assure us that there's nothing wrong with Prior? I believe him over Sullivan.

Well, it's all how it's framed. Yes Prior has been "delayed," but only in terms of when they thought he was going to be ready to throw to hitters. Nobody can be expected to keep to a schedule exactly. The bottom line is that not only is Prior not being shut down, his actual progress isn't being delayed. He's still going forward, building up arm strength, and isn't experiencing pain. There's really nothing at all to worry about in terms of what Rothschild said today.

 

Bullpen sessions are overrated. Bullpen sessions are nothing compared to facing live hitters. Obviously his "bullpen" sessions haven't been to encouraging if they have "delayed" his scheduled time to face live hitters.

 

If there's anything I've learned from the Cubs over the last couple years, especially when it comes to the 2 golden kids, is to read between the lines and to take everything they say with a grain of salt.

You have to build up arm strength before facing live hitters and he's only thrown off the mound a handful of times. And for actual bullpen sessions, we're talking about only a few. It's not like he's been going at this for several weeks. I'm not sure how else to read this other than he's a little (and by little I mean a day or two) behind where they thought he'd be when they talked about his schedule a week ago.