3/12/2004 11:18:00 AM by Rob

Mark Prior is going to be fine

Let's see...controversies...controversies...

...controversies....Dusty Baker thinks we're on a Steroid Witchhunt...Dusty hates walks. Well, I don't believe that. I just think he's sick of being asked stupid questions....Mark Prior's Achilles.

OK, stop there. If the World Series started today, and if it were Mark's turn, he's pitch.

If the playoffs started today, Mark would pitch. If the regular season started today, I believe he would pitch.

But they don't. It's still March, the games mean nothing. When the team says "He may not be ready for Opening day", what they mean is "he isn't going to have the six weeks that we insist on so that we can milk the public out of everything they are willing to give, in order to be in playing shape".

I'm sure Wood, Zambrano, Clement, Cruz, even Maddux probably have aches and pains similar to or worse than Prior RIGHT NOW. But he is Mark Prior, he is the Franchise, he is perhaps the Most Valuable Property since Tom Seaver, and in our risk-adverse society, nobody wants to stick their ass out on the line to be the One Who Rushed Back Mark Prior Too Soon.

Least of all, Mark Prior.

He'll get a couple of starts, and the first inning or two of his first real start, he may have trouble finding his rhythm. But they're just being Ultra-Careful, which is good.

It's gonna be fine. Relax. Worry about something else, like walks, or steroids.

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