Prior will make his start on schedule

[goonys evil twin]

There's pitching and then there's pitching. Yes, it's early and I may be wrong but I don't think that I am. IMO you'll see a difference from what you expect from Mark Prior and he'll be a shell of what he once was and he won't have that extra umph he once had. The June is a target date so the Cubs will be able to decide on how to fix their rotation and the time they will give Prior to regain himself.

 

Has Bruce commented on how he has thrown yet?

 

Actually, there's pitching and there's not pitching. In the past, Prior hasn't been pitching. Now he is. That's a big difference. If he pitches, and just gets rocked, then that's an issue. But by and large, when Prior has pitched, he's pitched well. He may never have his "best stuff" again. But until Prior goes out and looks like crap for a prolonged period of time, I don't see how anybody can say he'll be a shell of his former self. He wasn't a "shell" when he came back in 2005. Last year he was clearly not healthy enough to pitch, and when he tried to force a comeback, he didn't have anything. The fact that he's pitching now would seem to indicate, that at the very least, this year is not similar to last year.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I felt this way about Wood last year too and it has nothing to do with protecting myself in any way. I didn't like what I saw of Mark for the past 2 years and something is wrong IMO. I'm not trying to be a naysayer but the past history that Prior has shown bothers me. All this secret we don't know what's wrong thing just makes me wonder why they say this and I haven't heard what was wrong in the first place along with what he's hitting on the gun. I think the Cubs will have a good year with or without Prior but if he's even close to 2003 they will a very nice team indeed.

 

At this point though, if he's actually pitching, it's hard to maintain the "there's something wrong" idea. There doesn't seem to be much of a secret going on. We're not hearing that he's being held out and we don't know why. He's not in an undisclosed location. His past history is troublesome, no doubt. But as long as he's pitching, I can't help but think that the "June at the earliest" timeframe is just not very likely. If he doesn't feel good after his first start, skips his next and gets some weird schedule, all bets are off. But Prior pitching at this point is completely different than past seasons.

 

There's pitching and then there's pitching. Yes, it's early and I may be wrong but I don't think that I am. IMO you'll see a difference from what you expect from Mark Prior and he'll be a shell of what he once was and he won't have that extra umph he once had. The June is a target date so the Cubs will be able to decide on how to fix their rotation and the time they will give Prior to regain himself.

 

Has Bruce commented on how he has thrown yet?

 

Bruce has, so have Will Carroll and independent bloggers. All said he looked impressive. You can judge next Monday, Cuse. But I think your specific concern (not ready till June) isn't valid, because it assumes he's quite a few steps behind the other pitchers.

[CuseCubFan69]

There's pitching and then there's pitching. Yes, it's early and I may be wrong but I don't think that I am. IMO you'll see a difference from what you expect from Mark Prior and he'll be a shell of what he once was and he won't have that extra umph he once had. The June is a target date so the Cubs will be able to decide on how to fix their rotation and the time they will give Prior to regain himself.

 

Has Bruce commented on how he has thrown yet?

 

Actually, there's pitching and there's not pitching. In the past, Prior hasn't been pitching. Now he is. That's a big difference. If he pitches, and just gets rocked, then that's an issue. But by and large, when Prior has pitched, he's pitched well. He may never have his "best stuff" again. But until Prior goes out and looks like crap for a prolonged period of time, I don't see how anybody can say he'll be a shell of his former self. He wasn't a "shell" when he came back in 2005. Last year he was clearly not healthy enough to pitch, and when he tried to force a comeback, he didn't have anything. The fact that he's pitching now would seem to indicate, that at the very least, this year is not similar to last year.

 

Then add not pitching to the 2 I wrote. When I saw Prior last pitch in 2005 I saw little movement and hop on his pitches. Something was missing along with the cockyness he had. I know that somethimes injuries sometimes take away that invinceable feeling you have before the injury but I think he won't get back to the stuff/velo he once had. We'll see who's right gooney and I really hope you are the one that is.

[CuseCubFan69]

I felt this way about Wood last year too and it has nothing to do with protecting myself in any way. I didn't like what I saw of Mark for the past 2 years and something is wrong IMO. I'm not trying to be a naysayer but the past history that Prior has shown bothers me. All this secret we don't know what's wrong thing just makes me wonder why they say this and I haven't heard what was wrong in the first place along with what he's hitting on the gun. I think the Cubs will have a good year with or without Prior but if he's even close to 2003 they will a very nice team indeed.

 

At this point though, if he's actually pitching, it's hard to maintain the "there's something wrong" idea. There doesn't seem to be much of a secret going on. We're not hearing that he's being held out and we don't know why. He's not in an undisclosed location. His past history is troublesome, no doubt. But as long as he's pitching, I can't help but think that the "June at the earliest" timeframe is just not very likely. If he doesn't feel good after his first start, skips his next and gets some weird schedule, all bets are off. But Prior pitching at this point is completely different than past seasons.

 

There's pitching and then there's pitching. Yes, it's early and I may be wrong but I don't think that I am. IMO you'll see a difference from what you expect from Mark Prior and he'll be a shell of what he once was and he won't have that extra umph he once had. The June is a target date so the Cubs will be able to decide on how to fix their rotation and the time they will give Prior to regain himself.

 

Has Bruce commented on how he has thrown yet?

 

Bruce has, so have Will Carroll and independent bloggers. All said he looked impressive. You can judge next Monday, Cuse. But I think your specific concern (not ready till June) isn't valid, because it assumes he's quite a few steps behind the other pitchers.

 

I think he's steps beyond himself, not the other pitchers.

[David]

Then add not pitching to the 2 I wrote. When I saw Prior last pitch in 2005 I saw little movement and hop on his pitches. Something was missing along with the cockyness he had. I know that somethimes injuries sometimes take away that invinceable feeling you have before the injury but I think he won't get back to the stuff/velo he once had. We'll see who's right gooney and I really hope you are the one that is.

 

I know I can't argue with your own subjective analysis of 2005 Prior, but stastically, Prior was a very good pitcher in 2005. About as good as he was for most of 2002-2003, outside of the two month stretch where he was flat out absurdly dominant.

 

August and September of 03 gave us a glimpse of what he's capable of when he's really on, and also made his 2003 stats look as unreal as they did.

 

2005 Prior looked more or less like the Prior we saw from 2002 through July or so of 2003, though.

 

Also, that year, before the Hawpe incident, Prior was about as dominant as he was in the 03 stretch run (admittedly, not a huge sample size). He wasn't quite the same afterwards but still pitched quite well.

Edited February 27, 2007 by David

[David]

Bruce has, so have Will Carroll and independent bloggers. All said he looked impressive. You can judge next Monday, Cuse. But I think your specific concern (not ready till June) isn't valid, because it assumes he's quite a few steps behind the other pitchers.

 

I think he's steps beyond himself, not the other pitchers.

 

So you're not disputing the suggestion that you think he's quite a few steps behind the other pitchers?

 

I certainly don't think that's the case and haven't seen a thing to suggest as much.

[CuseCubFan69]

Then add not pitching to the 2 I wrote. When I saw Prior last pitch in 2005 I saw little movement and hop on his pitches. Something was missing along with the cockyness he had. I know that somethimes injuries sometimes take away that invinceable feeling you have before the injury but I think he won't get back to the stuff/velo he once had. We'll see who's right gooney and I really hope you are the one that is.

 

I know I can't argue with your own subjective analysis of 2005 Prior, but stastically, Prior was a very good pitcher in 2005. About as good as he was for most of 2002-2003, outside of the two month stretch where he was flat out absurdly dominant.

 

August and September of 03 gave us a glimpse of what he's capable of when he's really on, and also made his 2003 stats look as unreal as they did.

 

2005 Prior looked more or less like the Prior we saw from 2002 through July or so of 2003.

 

Also, that year, before the Hawpe incident, Prior was about as dominant as he was in the 03 stretch run (admittedly, not a huge sample size). He wasn't quite the same afterwards but still pitched quite well.

 

We'll soon see dav. Hey, I want to see him K guys on 9 pitches and I want him to succeed.

[CUBZ99]

I felt this way about Wood last year too and it has nothing to do with protecting myself in any way. I didn't like what I saw of Mark for the past 2 years and something is wrong IMO. I'm not trying to be a naysayer but the past history that Prior has shown bothers me. All this secret we don't know what's wrong thing just makes me wonder why they say this and I haven't heard what was wrong in the first place along with what he's hitting on the gun. I think the Cubs will have a good year with or without Prior but if he's even close to 2003 they will a very nice team indeed.

 

At this point though, if he's actually pitching, it's hard to maintain the "there's something wrong" idea. There doesn't seem to be much of a secret going on. We're not hearing that he's being held out and we don't know why. He's not in an undisclosed location. His past history is troublesome, no doubt. But as long as he's pitching, I can't help but think that the "June at the earliest" timeframe is just not very likely. If he doesn't feel good after his first start, skips his next and gets some weird schedule, all bets are off. But Prior pitching at this point is completely different than past seasons.

 

There's pitching and then there's pitching. Yes, it's early and I may be wrong but I don't think that I am. IMO you'll see a difference from what you expect from Mark Prior and he'll be a shell of what he once was and he won't have that extra umph he once had. The June is a target date so the Cubs will be able to decide on how to fix their rotation and the time they will give Prior to regain himself.

 

Has Bruce commented on how he has thrown yet?

 

Bruce has, so have Will Carroll and independent bloggers. All said he looked impressive. You can judge next Monday, Cuse. But I think your specific concern (not ready till June) isn't valid, because it assumes he's quite a few steps behind the other pitchers.

 

Wasn't there some talk last week from Rothschild that Prior's velocity is still off? I'm interested to know what looking "impressive" means. Does it mean that he is on the mound throwing like all of the rest of the pitching staff, or does it mean that he is throwing 93-95 with good movement and command?

[CuseCubFan69]

Bruce has, so have Will Carroll and independent bloggers. All said he looked impressive. You can judge next Monday, Cuse. But I think your specific concern (not ready till June) isn't valid, because it assumes he's quite a few steps behind the other pitchers.

 

I think he's steps beyond himself, not the other pitchers.

 

So you're not disputing the suggestion that you think he's quite a few steps behind the other pitchers?

 

I certainly don't think that's the case and haven't seen a thing to suggest as much.

 

I think that what Mark Prior expects of Mark Prior could be his worst enemy or his best friend. I don't know what the steps are that the pitchers are at and what stages they are. Mark has been working out for awhile now and he should be ahead of most of them. My question is is he going to go beyond that or is he going to flatten out.