Prior Rumor

[Modern Relic]

The text below is quoted from a post in the Cubs UseNet group. I have NO confirmation on any of this. What you see is what I know. It could be totally without merit, but thought it might be worth mention. The two posters in this exchange are pretty solid guys, not prone to idle speculation.

>I'm reading reports, from people who claim to be in the know, that Prior is
>on his way back to Chicago for medical tests and there is concern about his
>elbow. This is just messageboard scuttlebutt right now, but from people who
>haven't steered me wrong yet.
>
>mO

Well, that would certainly make more sense than the Achilles tendonitis that
we've been hearing about. I find it hard to believe that with therapy and
anti-inflammatories that the tendonitis couldn't have been resolved by now.

I hope this turns out to be nothing.

[BigBambino]

For Cub fan's sake, I hope this turns out to be nothing

[Mel_Ott]

What's surprising to me about this is that last year lots of people (not just Joe Morgan) were swooning about Prior's mechanics, how he had a "flawless" delivery (mechanically speaking), and so he shouldn't have arm trouble despite throwing a lot of innings for Dusty "Hey, The Arm Ain't Smoking Yet!" Baker. Hopefully Prior isn't seriously hurt and will have another shot at the Cy Young award he so richly deserved last season.

[AnotherAlias]

****

[PrestonKaye]

arn't the old guys supposed to be the injured one?

[AnotherAlias]

Link?

[dougaiton]

So, if this is the Prior rumour, what's the new rumour?

[twins15]

Originally posted by dougaiton
So, if this is the Prior rumour, what's the new rumour?

Good, good stuff, aside from the misspelling of rumor.

[Modern Relic]

Originally posted by AnotherAlias
Link?

It's on the Cubs newsgroup on Usenet. Alas, I don't know how to provide a direct link; I view it through OE.

The address is "alt.sports.baseball.chicago-cubs" without the quotation marks, of course. I think there's a way to view it without newsreader software, but I'm not positive how it's done. Try Googling that address and search around some.

[Skipaway]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slu...ball&type=lgns

Let's hang Dusty Baker now?

[Modern Relic]

Originally posted by dougaiton
So, if this is the Prior rumour, what's the new rumour?

I wondered who it would be and how long it would take. LOL!

[Skipaway]

"I had some stiffness in my elbow. I had some stiffness in my shoulder. But everything's fine. There have been some great rumors going around."

http://www.dailyherald.com/search/ma...?intid=3807488

[Modern Relic]

Originally posted by Skipaway
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slu...ball&type=lgns

Let's hang Dusty Baker now?

Yeah, I saw that story too. As a Cub fan, I'm nervous. But not freaking out...yet.

I know a lot of people knock Baker for overuse of his pitchers. Prior pitched 211 innings last season over 30 starts. That averages to just a hair over 7 IP/Start. That doesn't seem extremely excessive to me. But yes, Prior is still quite young. Still, the devils advocate in me needs to point out that Fergie Jenkins (just off the top of my head) pitched 184 IP in his second season and 289 in his 3rd. Heck, a lot of guys did it then, and it wasn't all that long ago.

I guess the question is, what would have been "acceptable" use for Prior last season? I know I personally felt he should have been immediately pulled after that collision with...Giles, was it? I know the Cubs trainer was fired recently, in large part due to that incident.

But other than that, how many innings would have been more acceptable for a pitcher that young? 150? 175? He pitched 116 the year before.

I really am torn on this issue. Part of me says that pitchers should be able to go 200 IP simply as a matter of course. But the other part wants to protect a once-in-a-lifetime asset of the Cubs. Perhaps an increase of 50 IP would have been more prudent?

I am now officially rambling on the subject... That's enough.

[Skipaway]

Right now all theories indicate that innings pitched are irrevelent. It's the pitch count per outing that's important. Mark Prior lead the league in average pitch count per start last year at 113.2 and nobody was close!!!

Mark Prior 113.2
Kerry Wood 109.9
Woody Williams 109.8
Vazquez Javier 109.4
Joel Pineiro 108.6
Jeremi Gonzalez 108.4

The real stud in 2003 was Roy Halladay with 266 IP but only 100.3 pitches per start.

Prior was first in pitchers per start, eighth in innings per start, and ninth in maximum pitch count in a start.

[Modern Relic]

Yes, I should have mentioned pitch counts in my post. I did mention IP's per start, which, of course, is a direct factor in pitch counts.

In any case, I had no idea Prior led the league by such a large margin.

I don't know...maybe pitcher usage should be measured in total pitches thrown per season? Who do you think thew more pitches last season, Halladay or Prior?

I guess I don't have to be lazy. I can do some quick math.

Prior: 30 GS at an avg. of 113.2 pitchers per = 3396 total pitches thrown. Give or take.

Halladay: 36 GS at an avg. of 100.3 pitchers per = 3611 total pitches thrown. Give or take.

How does this factor in, if at all?

[Jordan]

He's gone for all of April....but his arm is NOT hurt.

[Skipaway]

But his IS hurt.

[Ervinmagicsmall]

What could the Cubs possibly gain by not telling the truth? I'm sure they are going to have record attendance this year anyways, and its not like it's some kind of strategic advantage to them to say it's the achilles rather than an elbow. I'll take things at face value--his achilles is sore and they don't want to rush him.

[dougaiton]

Remember that Prior wasn't subject to the graded pitch counts at each minor-league level to build up his arm, and went from throwing very few pitches at college to a whole ton of them under Dusty's arm harvest.

[Modern Relic]

Originally posted by Skipaway
But his IS hurt.

Or not.

link

I think we're going to have to wait and see on this one.