Prior delayed again

[badger1679666666]

30 pages by noon tomorrow.

[bc2k]

Looks like SouthSideRyan is going to have to change part of his signature. :cry:

[frostwyrm]

They had NO problem allowing Wood to go out there and pitch when they knew he had shoulder issues and should be shut down immediately. This organization is about as incompetent as it gets. Here's hoping that Hendry and Baker are goners after this upcoming season. This is ridiculous.

Stupid? I think so. But not that stupid. As I've already said, it was a very different situation. They believed that Kerry wasn't going to injure his shoulder any further by pitching. They also kept him in there because they believed he could help them in the wild card race.

 

With Prior, making him pitch when they know he's injured would not help their playoff chances. Quite the opposite. And pitching while injured would most definitely risk further and more serious injury.

 

But note the difference in the two situations: Kerry pitched live regular season games that mattered; Prior didn't even face one spring training opposing hitter. So for you to say that they both "pitched while injured" is deceiving.

 

This spring's handling of Prior does suggest that the Cubs held him back in attempts to see if he could make progress with his injury through pitching and treatments from trainer Mark O'Neal: "We've been treating him for basically normal symptoms that everybody has when they throw."

 

To me, this suggests that they didn't feel his discomfort was anything out of the ordinary. Again, Prior has complained of pain in the past only to have multiple tests (and doctors) unable to find a problem. I'm very curious to find out what Dr. Yocum has to say...

 

Did you expect O'Neal to rat out his boss? If he said "no comment" suspicions would be aroused, so he made a very generic and vague statement. Perhaps he conveniently forgot to mention that Prior has the same symptoms as everybody has when they throw, only Prior has them a lot worse.

[Blueheart05]

My concern is this... he has "normal" pain in the shoulder and is held back... then he stops his long-toss session and within hours is sitting in LA waiting to see the Dr.

 

To me this screams something is seriously wrong.

 

Or that the man has a low threshold for pain... I'm not saying he's weak or anything negative but people do deal with pain differently. The last time Prior had serious pain the Cubs sent him to their specialist and the results were normal. He was later examined by an independent specialist, of his own choosing, and the results were normal.

 

IIRC, he made some comment last year about probably having to deal with pain every Spring Training...

[Blueheart05]

They had NO problem allowing Wood to go out there and pitch when they knew he had shoulder issues and should be shut down immediately. This organization is about as incompetent as it gets. Here's hoping that Hendry and Baker are goners after this upcoming season. This is ridiculous.

Stupid? I think so. But not that stupid. As I've already said, it was a very different situation. They believed that Kerry wasn't going to injure his shoulder any further by pitching. They also kept him in there because they believed he could help them in the wild card race.

 

With Prior, making him pitch when they know he's injured would not help their playoff chances. Quite the opposite. And pitching while injured would most definitely risk further and more serious injury.

 

But note the difference in the two situations: Kerry pitched live regular season games that mattered; Prior didn't even face one spring training opposing hitter. So for you to say that they both "pitched while injured" is deceiving.

 

This spring's handling of Prior does suggest that the Cubs held him back in attempts to see if he could make progress with his injury through pitching and treatments from trainer Mark O'Neal: "We've been treating him for basically normal symptoms that everybody has when they throw."

 

To me, this suggests that they didn't feel his discomfort was anything out of the ordinary. Again, Prior has complained of pain in the past only to have multiple tests (and doctors) unable to find a problem. I'm very curious to find out what Dr. Yocum has to say...

 

Did you expect O'Neal to rat out his boss? If he said "no comment" suspicions would be aroused, so he made a very generic and vague statement. Perhaps he conveniently forgot to mention that Prior has the same symptoms as everybody has when they throw, only Prior has them a lot worse.

 

That's fine and dandy but I don't buy into the conspiracy theory. We'll see what the independent specialist has to say.

[Connor McConnor]

Come on. This is like the bazillionth time guys. How many more until we face up to the fact that the Cubs habitually lie about player injuries?

 

None for me. I stopped believing them 4 or 5 injuries ago.

[MembersOnlyJacket]

I think Carrie Muskat attends the Jim Hendry Damage Control School:

 

I don't understand how Mark Prior can be sidelined already this year. I realize he was sick for a few weeks this offseason, but he's a professional athlete with five months off during the year. He should be able to report to Spring Training ready to play ball. Mark and Kerry Wood were injured the majority of last season and it looks like we are there again this year, and the season has not started yet. Is it time to start looking elsewhere while these two still have some trade value? -- Paul H., Omaha, Neb.

 

No. No. 1, Prior isn't injured. He's on a strict program designed to build up arm strength and to avoid injuries. A respiratory infection that forced him to be hospitalized in late December slowed him a little, but that doesn't qualify as an injury.

 

...

[pete the dog]

I can't really understand all the anger and drama about who knew what and when did they know it. This just all deflects attention from the real issue: Our star young pitchers can't stay healthy. Are their techniques faulty? Is the coaching poor? Are these guys really just physically fragile? What the hell is going on?

[rocket]

suicide plz

[frostwyrm]

I think Carrie Muskat attends the Jim Hendry Damage Control School:

 

I don't understand how Mark Prior can be sidelined already this year. I realize he was sick for a few weeks this offseason, but he's a professional athlete with five months off during the year. He should be able to report to Spring Training ready to play ball. Mark and Kerry Wood were injured the majority of last season and it looks like we are there again this year, and the season has not started yet. Is it time to start looking elsewhere while these two still have some trade value? -- Paul H., Omaha, Neb.

 

No. No. 1, Prior isn't injured. He's on a strict program designed to build up arm strength and to avoid injuries. A respiratory infection that forced him to be hospitalized in late December slowed him a little, but that doesn't qualify as an injury.

 

...

 

Maybe I'm crazy but I thought the ST game schedule itself was "a strict program designed to build up arm strength".

[NCCubFan]

Who's going to take Prior's spot in the simulated pitching rotation? That's what's really at stake here. We coulda been a contenda!

That's why Wade Miller was signed. :D

[Shawon12]

The problem here isn't the Cubs, it's Prior's ability to stay healthly. Geesh, I know this is difficult news to swallow, but why all the focus on the team that's paying his salery to play, and not the guy himself?????

[gerby23]

Miles this morning:

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/sportsstory.asp?id=167114

Cubbie from TX in AR

[soapy]

Anyone want to start a pool for when Angel Guzman completes the trifecta?

 

At this point, even though it won't be a popular sentiment here I'd throw Guzman out there in the rotation right away when we break camp. If he gets hurt, he gets hurt, but while he's healthy he's a better option than Hill or Rusch, and our rotation will need the help.

 

Pitch count him. We'll carry 12 pitchers anyway, and we have a nice, expensive bullpen. Get what you can out of him, because at worst you end up with what you've gotten from him the past 3 seasons, and at best he lives up to his billing. Or at least he helps keep you afloat until May when one of Wood, Miller or Prior should be back.

 

I agree, US. I think you have to get him out there if possible. I hate to take the risk, but Guzman's going to have to deliver the goods or the Cubs are going to have to start thinking about cutting bait at some point soon. This is an oppurtunity for Guzman to step up. With 12 pitchers, they can limit his pitch count.

[Diffusion]

The mere possibility of Prior getting injured is why you should build for yourself a kick-ass offence.

 

One that can even withstand the possibility of the loss of a player like Derrek Lee.

[sethuel1]

I think the Cubs should just hire Dr. Lewis Yocum full-time as a cost-cutting measure.

[Rooftop Bum]

Yeah, my problem really is not with the Cubs management or PR people. Although I do think they knew something was up with Prior but that's my opinion. I do not really believe what they tell us until we see Prior and Wood pitching a MLB game or ST game. Beyond all that the bottomline is that both Wood and Prior just can not stay healthy or they are babied to much. I don't know. I do know it's not doing the club much good to keep these 2 around. They have all the talent in the world but big deal if they can't start more than 15 games a year. I say give them one more shot this year and if all possible get rid of them in the offseason if they continue their pace of start 6 games, DL for 30 days, start 5 games, DL for 15, etc.

[sethuel1]

The mere possibility of Prior getting injured is why you should build for yourself a kick-ass defense.

 

One that can even withstand the possibility of the loss of a player like Derrek Lee.

Fixed for idiocy.

[USSoccer]

The mere possibility of Prior getting injured is why you should build for yourself a kick-ass offence.

 

One that can even withstand the possibility of the loss of a player like Derrek Lee.

 

After the last 2 seasons, you'd think Hendry would have learned that lesson.

 

Instead, our vaunted pitching "depth" of 9 potential starters features 3 oft injured players, 2 rookies, 1 declining, HR prone pitcher, one guy who's not very good, Williams and Zambrano.

 

If Lee goes down, will anyone pitch to Ramirez, ever?

 

That's really sad. What's even sadder is our payroll is $95m

[Balsa]

What a cruel, cruel world. :(

[IUBrian]

I've not read this entire thread, for my stomach can't handle it. So this may have already been mentioned, and I know it's been mentioned every season since '03....

 

but remember the buzz about Prior being the uninjurable pitcher due to his flawless mechanics?

 

ugh

[fulldeck]

And on the Towel: you are right, but I've never seen "healthy" pitchers use the towel drill in spring training to build strength while other healthy pitchers are throwing in games. Only rehabbing, injured pitchers do this.

I don't think there's any point when Prior doesn't do the towel drill. Other pitchers may not do it, but he does it all the time, whether in spring training or right before regular season starts.

 

Anthony Reyes regularly uses the towel drill to keep his mechanics in check. It is a USC alum thing.

[RynoRules]

In light of how things have gone on this bd. for a while now, I am surprised to find so many of us defending the Cubs in this instance.

 

In the past I defended JH and company b/c I felt they deserved the benefit of the doubt. They have used up those free passes with me.

 

IMO, you can bury your head in the sand or face facts: the Cubs current regime is not forthcoming with the fanbase about its intentions or the staus of its players. I personally believe this tone is set at the top by MacPhail; as long as the team continues to sell tix and bring in big bucks, he has little to worry about. Accordingly, unlike the Yanks or Red Sox, there is no requirement that Cubs officials be accountable for their actions or inactions. The result is what we have seen with Wood and Prior this Spring.

 

Of course, my own argument is contrasted by the fact taht neither JH nor Dusty have received extensions. Here's hoping that I am proven wrong.

[goonys evil twin]

Just remember, there's nothing wrong.

[RynoRules]

Just remember, there's nothing wrong.

 

Or as your sig used to say, "All is well." :^o

 

What a load of (bleeping fowl-mouth cursing) horse manure.

 

:evil: