3/23/2004 10:10:00 AM by Rob

Why no Mark Prior angst?

The fact is that nobody, probably including Prior himself, knows how bad he is hurt.

Ordinarily, based on precedents, with news such as this: "Prior likely to start year on DL", we Cub fans would have all the right in the world to moan "See, here it is. We knew it was too good to be true". We all have in our minds eye the year 1985, when the whole 5-man rotation was on the DL AT THE SAME TIME for a brief period. Sutcliffe, Trout, Sanderson, Ruthven, and Eckersley. In retrospect, we're talking about 2 drunks, a puss, and a couple of near-pusses, but how were we to know that at the time?

It's possible to make the logical leap and picture a year where Wood's surgically enhanced elbow tatters, Zambrano finally goes completely ape shit, Clement comes up with dead-arm, Maddux's back goes out, and Prior ruins his shoulder while favoring his sore achilles.

It's possible, but do you know what else is possible? It's possible that the Cubs may be on the forefront of medicine. That maybe, the ounce of prevention now is going to be worth it's weight in gold when Prior is allowed to work himself into shape on his own terms, when otherwise, he is rushed out and forced to make adjustments which may eventually prove harmful?

If that's the case, and right now, it is what I believe to be true, then I don't want to hear any more shit about Dusty Baker burning out pitchers due to his negligence.

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