2005 Injury Update Thread

[Jon]

An update on Mark and an explanation as to why Derrek didn't play today:

 

Cubs.com[/url]"]MESA, Ariz. -- Mark Prior, who has been sidelined with inflammation in his elbow, threw in the bullpen on Thursday and had his best session so far, Chicago Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild said.

"The stuff's there," Prior said. "I'm not worried."

 

Prior warmed up as if he were pitching in a game, then threw 30 to 40 pitches over two "innings" in the bullpen. Rothschild said they'll treat the session as a start, see how the right-hander feels on Friday, and hopefully have him pitch a simulated game in four days.

 

"It's the best he's been since the initial reaction with the elbow," Rothschild said. "Hopefully, we're getting through some of this."

 

..................

 

"There's still some tenderness and inflammation," Prior said. "It's nothing I can't get through. I wasn't worried about it when it happened. Everybody wanted to be precautious. Now we're heading in the right direction."

 

The Cubs think Prior may have developed the inflammation from throwing breaking balls. The setback won't result in a change in his mechanics.

 

"I'm not going to change anything," Prior said. "I wasn't planning on it. I'm not going to change anything. I don't have time to change anything right now."

 

"He threw some real good [breaking balls] today," Rothschild said. "Like I've said, he's getting used to it and his arm is getting stronger and we've gotten the inflammation out of there, and we'll just go forward."

 

..................

 

Road trip: First baseman Derrek Lee was a late scratch from Thursday's game because of a stiff neck. Lee said the problem developed on the bus ride to Tucson on Wednesday. His status is day-to-day. Baker said Lee took batting practice and wanted to play but was held out as a precaution.

[E.J.]

Here we go again. Now Prior might be put on the 15-day DL?

 

This Morning's Trib

 

With two scheduled days off the first two weeks of the regular season, the Cubs could go with a four-man starting rotation until April 13.

 

Glendon Rusch threw five shutout innings Thursday against Oakland. If he were to make a spot start April 13, Mark Prior could be held out of the rotation until at least April 19.

 

That would give the Cubs the option of putting Prior on the 15-day disabled list to open the season. Prior threw another bullpen session Thursday, saying he still has some tenderness and inflammation in the elbow before adding his standard line: "I'm not worried about it."

 

The Cubs aren't disclosing any timetable for Prior's return, and neither is Prior.

 

"I have a say in what I do, but it's not like I'm going out there and saying I want to do this or that," Prior said. "Whatever they have planned is what I do. That's kind of the game plan."

[NCCubFan]

Here we go again. Now Prior might be put on the 15-day DL?

Merely putting him on the DL isn't a cause for concern. Yahoo mentioned that the Cubs target April 12 for his first start. He could be placed on the 15-day DL and still be eligible to pitch April 12.

[Jon]

Comments on Wood's session today:

 

Cubs.com[/url]"]"He was throwing hard, his curveball was right there," said Soto, who caught Wood on the back field at HoHoKam Park. "It's the first time I caught him, and it felt to me like he was 100 percent. I saw an A-plus guy like I expected. I've never caught a pitcher like that before."

 

Wood, scratched from Thursday's start because of a lower back stiffness, threw about 63 pitches Friday on a back field. He faced five batters -- Calvin Murray, Jose Macias, Dwaine Bacon, Paul O'Toole and Ryan Theriot -- and put on a show for the dozen or so fans watching.

 

"He threw the ball well and added up some pitches and got to work on things," Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild said. "The slider was real good, which is the pitch I concentrate on more than anything else. He threw a lot of good changeups and threw the ball well."

 

"I don't have anything to say," Wood said, when approached by the media. "Everything went well. I feel good."

 

That's all the Cubs need to know. Wood will throw on the side Sunday, and if he does not experience any recurring back problems, he will start Tuesday against Milwaukee. The right-hander, originally slowed this spring because of tightness in his right shoulder, is scheduled to start the Cubs' home opener April 8 against the Brewers.

 

"He had plenty on the ball," Murray said. "Once he got out there a little bit more, he started throwing his breaking ball and started to get a feel for it. I thought he looked good."

 

................

 

"Everything was sharp," said Soto, who caught at Double-A West Tenn last season. "Maybe for him, he'll say, 'I'm feeling this, I feel that.' But for me, he was great."

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Here we go again. Now Prior might be put on the 15-day DL?

Merely putting him on the DL isn't a cause for concern. Yahoo mentioned that the Cubs target April 12 for his first start. He could be placed on the 15-day DL and still be eligible to pitch April 12.

 

Agreed. The Sun-Times piece is guessing that Prior might miss one more start than the April 12th estimate (though I'm sure 50% of posters don't care for the Cubs' injury recovery estimates, but still).

[10man]

Putting him on the DL ready to come off for Apr. 12 is actually a good move. It would allow the Cubs to put 11 active pitchers on the roster and freeing up one extra spot for the bench.

[mhuber92211]

Putting him on the DL ready to come off for Apr. 12 is actually a good move. It would allow the Cubs to put 11 active pitchers on the roster and freeing up one extra spot for the bench.

 

Thus saving time for Kelton to make the team....

[Jon]

Wood: "Feeling great."

 

Prior: Threw yesterday and will throw a simulated game tomorrow. Hoping to get into a game by the end of next week.

[Jon]

Wednesday it is for Wood:

 

Cubs.com[/url]"]MESA, Ariz. -- Kerry Wood will pitch Wednesday instead of Tuesday, but is still on track to start the Chicago Cubs' home opener April 8 against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Wood was to start Tuesday against Milwaukee, which would've been his first Cactus League game since March 9. He's been sidelined with tightness in his right shoulder and missed another scheduled start because of lower back discomfort.

 

"I want to give him the five days this time and really get a good workout and have him get his pitch totals up," Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild said Sunday.

 

"We'd bring him back on the off day [April 3] to pitch two or three [innings] in Triple-A," Rothschild said. "This start [on Wednesday] is to get him ready for the season."

 

Hairston was dinged up today after yesterday's HBP:

 

Cubs.com[/url]"]Hairston did not play Sunday, nursing a bruise on his left thigh suffered when he fouled a ball off his leg on Saturday in Tucson. He also was hit on the arm.

 

"You should've seen it yesterday," Hairston said of his leg bruise. "It was a tough at-bat."

 

Prior will throw a simulated game on Monday and according to him, he'll probably have to miss a start or two.

 

And the latest on Williamson:

 

Step by step: Reliever Scott Williamson threw 60 pitches at "50 percent" on Sunday, his longest outing. He is not expected ready by Opening Day. Williamson is coming off Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

 

"It's hard to gauge what 50 percent is," Williamson said.

 

The right-hander will do that one more time, only step it up a notch and throw at 75 percent.

 

"I feel strong," Williamson said. "Larry (Rothschild, pitching coach) keeps telling me he wants me to feel good the next day, not the day I'm pitching."

[Banedon]

The Trib thinks Prior will start the season on the DL.

[Jon]

Prior moves to 5-0 in career simulated games as the news is good. Santo said he was smiling ear to ear in the clubhouse afterwards:

 

4 innings, 50 pitches, threw his entire repertoire, everything felt good, everyone who saw him pitch said he was great. And while he's still on schedule to pitch on Saturday, it has NOT been determined whether he'll start in Las Vegas or if he'll stay in Mesa to pitch the AAA game (Wood will start the AAA game on April 3rd, as was previously reported).

 

Let's just hope he feels fine tomorrow.

 

EDIT:

 

Dusty: Little apprehensive in the first, opened up after that and threw the ball "real well." He felt pretty good about it and so do they. Hoping he won't go on the DL and they have to wait and see how he feels the next two days. If he goes on the DL, he can't pitch in Las Vegas. If he's feeling good, he'll probably make the trip.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

I heard an interview with Prior on the way to class tonight. He said that in the first inning he didn't really throw any offspeed stuff, but after that he did. He threw his curve, slider, and change. He said that the curve felt great and that he threw it a bunch. He also said that he felt better today than he did at any point in the preseason so far. So that's good news.

[Jon]

Cubs.com[/url]"]Prior had no problems on Tuesday after his four-inning simulated game on Monday. The next step for Prior, who has been sidelined with inflammation in his right elbow, is to pitch on Saturday. Where is yet to be determined.

 

"We're leaning away from [Las Vegas against Seattle] just in case something happens, and then he won't be available untl the 18th or something like that if you add all the days," Baker said. "At this point, he'll probably stay back and pitch in a Triple-A game. That way we'd have an option."

 

It's a little complicated. If Prior throws Saturday in the final Cactus League game, the Cubs could only backdate the DL to Sunday. If he pitches in a minor league game in Arizona, Prior could be backdated nine days into Spring Training, and would be available for the Cubs on April 12, which is when they need a fifth starter.

Good news that he's feeling fine today after throwing on Monday. Unfortunately, the plan of keeping him in Mesa to start the AAA game makes sense. Still a chance, though. And maybe Guzman could take his place Saturday... :-k

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Cubs.com[/url]"]Prior had no problems on Tuesday after his four-inning simulated game on Monday. The next step for Prior, who has been sidelined with inflammation in his right elbow, is to pitch on Saturday. Where is yet to be determined.

 

"We're leaning away from [Las Vegas against Seattle] just in case something happens, and then he won't be available untl the 18th or something like that if you add all the days," Baker said. "At this point, he'll probably stay back and pitch in a Triple-A game. That way we'd have an option."

 

It's a little complicated. If Prior throws Saturday in the final Cactus League game, the Cubs could only backdate the DL to Sunday. If he pitches in a minor league game in Arizona, Prior could be backdated nine days into Spring Training, and would be available for the Cubs on April 12, which is when they need a fifth starter.

Good news that he's feeling fine today after throwing on Monday. Unfortunately, the plan of keeping him in Mesa to start the AAA game makes sense. Still a chance, though. And maybe Guzman could take his place Saturday... :-k

 

Actually it makes the most sense. By having him pitch a AAA game, he still gets to work against live hitters, is on track for the April 12 start, and the Cubs can carry an extra arm for the first week and a half of the season. That move could allow the Cubs to go with 11 pitchers and keep both Kelton and Dubois since you would still have 7 relievers until the 12th.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Cubs.com is reporting that Borowski's X-rays were very positive.

 

"You've got the best case scenario now," Borowski said. "We're hoping the next X-ray [in one week] shows almost nothing. Two out of three X-rays [taken Thursday], you couldn't even find it. The one we did, you had to know where you were looking and what you were looking for to see it.

 

"The doctor was very pleased and instead of waiting another 10 days to do an X-ray, we moved it up a week," Borowski said. "If that one looks good, we'll start strengthening it for a couple days and hopefully pick up a ball and start going."

 

 

It appears that they think Borowski could be back in less than six weeks.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

I just saw an interview with Prior on comcast sports net. He threw a simulated game today in Mesa. He went 4 innings and threw 51 pitches. He said that his offspeed pitches were off a bit at the beginning but came around towards the end. He said that he did not know what was going on in terms of where and when he is going to pitch next. He said that he would like to start on Saturday but is not sure if that is going to happen.

[Slugger_16]

Prior will throw about 70 pitches tomorrow for the Triple-A team.

 

"A lot depends on [saturday]," Baker said. "[saturday] is big, not only for him, but for us."

 

Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild said he'll wait for the report from Saturday's session before deciding the next step.

 

"When he's ready, he's ready," Rothschild said. "If he gets through this, everything is positive."

[E.J.]

Rotoworld on Wood and his start in AAA:

 

Kerry Wood - S - Cubs

 

 

Larry Rothschild said Kerry Wood (shoulder) won’t work much in his minor-league start Sunday against Triple-A players from the Angels.

“He might not even go three innings,” Rothschild said. If true, it casts some doubt on previous reports that had Wood returning on April 8. Apr. 2 - 9:11 am et

[CheeseHead Cubs Fan]

Rotoworld on Wood and his start in AAA:

 

Kerry Wood - S - Cubs

 

 

Larry Rothschild said Kerry Wood (shoulder) won’t work much in his minor-league start Sunday against Triple-A players from the Angels.

“He might not even go three innings,” Rothschild said. If true, it casts some doubt on previous reports that had Wood returning on April 8. Apr. 2 - 9:11 am et

 

He also threw 92+ pitches on Wednesday....Even at 3 innings he could throw 45+ pitches. I am confident Wood will open up Wrigley this season!

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Rotoworld on Wood and his start in AAA:

 

Kerry Wood - S - Cubs

 

 

Larry Rothschild said Kerry Wood (shoulder) won’t work much in his minor-league start Sunday against Triple-A players from the Angels.

“He might not even go three innings,” Rothschild said. If true, it casts some doubt on previous reports that had Wood returning on April 8. Apr. 2 - 9:11 am et

 

Sunday would be 3-days rest from Wednesday. No way they'd extend him too much in a spring minor league game

[Jon]

4 runs and 67 pitches from Prior today, so he got in his full workload. He gave up 5 runs, walked 3, and struckout 5. Hopefully he'll feel good tomorrow. Not sure if his performance will play any role in the decision on whether or not to DL him.

[Jon]

Prior officially went on the 15-day DL today. More notes from the game:

ChicagoSports.com[/url]"]Prior threw 67 pitches against San Diego's Triple-A team Saturday in an exhibition game in Mesa, Ariz., where the rules were changed to accommodate Prior's outing.

 

"I'm just trying to get my arm strength, my inning strength or whatever you want to call it, built up and I got up close to 70 (pitches) today, so you know that was a good thing," Prior told reporters afterwards. "Hopefully I make a start somewhere, wherever it is, on [April 7], here or there, throw close to 80 pitches, then make a determination from there."

 

Prior's "official" line Saturday was four innings, five earned runs allowed on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Two of the hits were home runs. But the innings weren't real innings because Prior recorded only two outs in three of them before reaching an allotted pitch count.

 

"I heard he was apprehensive in the first inning but threw the ball well after that," manager Dusty Baker said in Las Vegas, where the Cubs beat Seattle 3-2 Saturday.Prior wasn't particularly pleased with his mechanics afterward, saying he left too many pitches up in the zone.

 

"Overall it was just poor, for whatever reason," he said. "I'm not exactly sure why, but I mean as far as that's concerned I'm not really worried, I can get those things ironed out. … The most important thing is how my arm felt. As far as my elbow, everything felt good."

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Interesting. They should change the rules for all Mark Prior starts so that he just needs to throw X pitches an inning, no matter what. :)

[brinoch]

Interesting. They should change the rules for all Mark Prior starts so that he just needs to throw X pitches an inning, no matter what. :)

 

9 pitches. 3 outs. 2 men enter, 1 man leaves.

[Jon]

Prior feels great and Kerry threw great:

AP[/url]"]Prior, who said that he understands the Cubs' move even if he doesn't like it, will be activated and start against San Diego on April 12, barring any setbacks.

 

"I feel like I can pitch right now," he said, "but obviously they want to give me another start, build up some endurance, and that's fine. I feel great today so I'm not worried."

 

He pitched in a minor league game Friday, giving up seven hits, including a pair of homers, over four innings. But the elbow didn't bother him at all, he said.

 

"Basically, I'm a week behind. That's how I guess you can equate it," Prior said. "I stopped throwing for about seven days, and I'm about seven days behind, so that's where I'm trying to work up to right now."

 

Prior said the location on his curve ball needs some work, though.

 

"Some were up when I wanted to throw strikes, some of them were up when I wanted to throw them down," he said. "That's just a matter of fine-tuning in the bullpen. I'm not really worked about any of that right now."

 

Meanwhile, Kerrie Wood pitched three innings of minor league game Sunday.

 

"They tell me he was awesome," Baker said.