98navigator

A lot of these MiL guys are terrible defensively

DeRosa has given up on Prior Talking up Angel...

What kind of unreasonable expectations are you talking about? I think there's a good chance that Prior as we knew him is gone. He threw 83-84 mph last game and it sounds like people were hoping he'd be back into the 90s and have good control again. It's not going to happen in a day, might never happen, but this game doesn't prove that he's done. Agreed. There was a little improvement this time and he still has 4 more outings to go in ST. As long as he keeps improving, even just a bit, with each outing, it's a good thing. I don't mind him starting the season in Iowa as long as he's on track to getting back to being a competitive pitcher. I don't need him being a superman this early...it would be nice, but it's not necessary for me to have hope. The problem, for the Cubs, with Prior starting at Iowa is how do you reintroduce him into the rotation if his replacement is pitching lights out? I think it's very important, for Prior's future with the Cubs, to get himself together by the start of the season. If he doesn't show measurable improvement by the time a fifth starter is needed, I can easily see Lou going with someone else (Possibly Angel). This is why, I think, the Cubs prefer Mark to step up and earn the last spot. It's far less messy... What would you do if Angel was pitching well for the Cubs but Prior was a bit better? How do you remove someone who has been helping the team win? Then I'd move Prior up so he can hopefully keep doing well in the bigs and sell someone on a decent trade. You mean trade Prior or Angel (the replacement)?

What kind of unreasonable expectations are you talking about? I think there's a good chance that Prior as we knew him is gone. He threw 83-84 mph last game and it sounds like people were hoping he'd be back into the 90s and have good control again. It's not going to happen in a day, might never happen, but this game doesn't prove that he's done. Agreed. There was a little improvement this time and he still has 4 more outings to go in ST. As long as he keeps improving, even just a bit, with each outing, it's a good thing. I don't mind him starting the season in Iowa as long as he's on track to getting back to being a competitive pitcher. I don't need him being a superman this early...it would be nice, but it's not necessary for me to have hope. The problem, for the Cubs, with Prior starting at Iowa is how do you reintroduce him into the rotation if his replacement is pitching lights out? I think it's very important, for Prior's future with the Cubs, to get himself together by the start of the season. If he doesn't show measurable improvement by the time a fifth starter is needed, I can easily see Lou going with someone else (Possibly Angel). This is why, I think, the Cubs prefer Mark to step up and earn the last spot. It's far less messy... What would you do if Angel was pitching well for the Cubs but Prior was a bit better? How do you remove someone who has been helping the team win?

4 Spot

Pie should have caught that

88mph

Wonder if the AP will have a press release? :lol: LOL

Only one inning but already he is MUCH better than his first outing. There's hope that he can regain his stuff before Opening Day.

LOL, I thought the same thing... :wink:

I saw 94 mph on that last pitch :?:

One pitch one out!

I'm actually nervous to see Mark...

Yeah, you have to like all the ground balls he's getting too. It bodes well for his Wrigley Field outings.

He's working on a sinker in ST.

Ohman's been getting hit hard...

He's a little long winded today but Plesac isn't bad. He took Scott Eyre under his wing when he was a young pitcher... he's told this one before. He mentioned it about 2389407123857 times last year. Plesac's an idiot. An idiot? Wow, I don't mind him. He's just trying hard...

Nah, I don't recall him saying that last year at all. He bemoaned not having enough power. I think it was his way of telling the fans at home not to get too excited by the ST stolen base numbers (because some of those belong to guys that won't go North).

Ben Howard hasn't looked good

He's a little long winded today but Plesac isn't bad. He took Scott Eyre under his wing when he was a young pitcher... he's told this one before.

without looking back, how did we score 6 runs? A number of walks and hits (mostly singles).

Yeah, in addition to being the CSN Cubs post/pregame analyst he also owns race horses.

I think he's talking straight more right now that any other interview I've ever heard. quite critical, quite honest. What is he saying? Saying he understands Prior's hesitancy but he needs to let loose on the mound and show everyone at least a glimpse, of the pitcher he's been in his career.

Did Cotts make it two whole innnings? I am hoping that Lou doesn't have his heart set on Cotts making the team. He has looked horrible this spring. Yeah, his line was 2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 1 K I bet he makes the team, but only because the team needs a long reliever-it's probably better to stick Cotts there than waste Guzman in that spot. 7H/4ER in 2IP, they were all over him!

He's been decent but I expect him to be ON when the season starts.