Hey Mark Prior Owners!

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Wed Mar 24, 2004 4:58 am

Any truth to the rumor I heard...Prior will be out all of April and even into May?

Karch Adonis · Post by **Karch Adonis** » Wed Mar 24, 2004 7:23 am

Sucks for fantasy owners, but the Cubs are bringing back Milt Pappas to cover the lost innings.

Return of the Aces · Post by **Return of the Aces** » Wed Mar 24, 2004 3:21 pm

I heard Prior will be back on the hill on April 12th. I expect that they if he starts on that date that they will not push him too hard. I think that by the 17th or 18th he will be shaping into form.

KJ Duke · Post by **KJ Duke** » Thu Mar 25, 2004 6:06 am

Good chance he could be out 'til late May, early June - if not he would have been a steal in the NL auction (that's why I stayed out of the bidding).

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Fri Mar 26, 2004 6:06 am

Gekko calls another one...

Mark Prior, P (ChC) -- 09:56AM CT -Because of ongoing tenderness in his right Achilles tendon, Prior's bullpen session on Thursday was postponed indefinitely . There's also no timetable in place for getting the righthander back in the Cubs' rotation. Prior won't pitch in any scenario until he is pain-free.

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 4:33 am

Prior out till the All Star break?? Is that a possibility? If so, you can count out 13 teams from the $100,000.

[ April 01, 2004, 10:34 AM: Message edited by: Gordon Gekko ]

kgrady · Post by **kgrady** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 5:40 am

I did not draft Prior, and given his apparent injury status I'm glad I didn't. That said, I am not about to write off the Prior owners just yet. They all drafted 28 other players and there is a whole season to play. They may be forced to scramble a bit and take some chances on starting pitchers.

There are some smart owners out there who will figure out a way to get by for awhile without their ace.

Kevin

SluggoJD · Post by **SluggoJD** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 6:58 pm

Karma Gods don't favor those who gloat over other people's misfortune. Gekko invites ruin.

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 10:20 pm

Originally posted by SluggoJD:

Karma Gods don't favor those who gloat over other people's misfortune. Gekko invites ruin.

I'm not gloating. Just staying my opinion. If Prior is out until the All Star break, you can remove 13 teams from the hunt for the $100,000. Maybe I'm one of those 13 teams?

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 3:16 pm

Soon to be official...sorry...

Word circulating among baseball executives suggests that Mark Prior's right elbow injury might be serious enough to require Tommy John surgery and keep him out the entire year, according to a report in Sunday's Newark Star-Ledger. Cubs manager Dusty Baker has been confiding in friends that the situation is bleak.

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 3:18 pm

Although I don't have Prior, I have my own injury problems I'm working through.

Return of the Aces · Post by **Return of the Aces** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 4:19 pm

Thanks Gekko for the gossip. Baker has already shot down this rumor.

Baker disputes report Prior's prognosis is `bleak'

BY PAUL SULLIVAN

Chicago Tribune

CHICAGO - (KRT) - The Chicago Cubs spent much of the spring shrugging off rumors about the severity of Mark Prior's injuries, but the latest one had manager Dusty Baker fuming Monday at Wrigley Field.

Baker vehemently shot down a report in the Newark Star-Ledger that had him confiding to close friends that Prior's situation is "bleak" and anonymous "baseball executives" saying Prior may need Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

"I guess somebody is trying to start something," Baker said. "People are saying I'm telling intimate friends that? I don't have any intimate friends like that I'd tell, No. 1, and No. 2, it's a lie. That's as big a lie as I've ever heard, and I wish whoever started this or wrote this would leave my name out of it."

If Prior needed reconstructive elbow surgery, as the report suggested, the Cubs would be crazy for allowing him to throw at all during his rehabilitation. Prior is slowly building up his arm strength after suffering Achilles' tendinitis at the start of spring training.

"That's bad journalism," Baker said. "That makes no sense. That's as far from the truth as anything I've ever been associated with. This is a crazy rumor. That's just wrong. For someone to start something like that and for us to even have to answer it ... It doesn't get any more wrong than that."

Prior had to respond to several unfounded rumors in Arizona, but he was in no mood Monday to talk about the latest one.

"You know I flew to New Jersey after I got home to Chicago," he said sarcastically. "Where's the rumor coming from, New Jersey? Yeah. I went to a Mets game."

Prior said he does not intend to comment on every rumor that comes out about him during his rehab.

He did some light throwing before Monday's game and hopes to throw off a mound this week if his arm feels good.

"Things went well; now we move on," Prior said. "But I'm not going to sit here every day and talk to you guys about this. What's important is what's going on on the field and that we win ballgames, not whether I'm outside playing catch for five minutes. Or Tommy John."

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 6:11 am

Soon to be official...

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs are not going to rush Mark Prior back, and even acknowledged Friday that it is possible Prior could miss the entire season.

In light of my performance this week, this news cheers me up a little.

Return of the Aces · Post by **Return of the Aces** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 11:53 am

The context of the statement was that the Cubs will survive even if Prior did not make it back this season. Nothing has changed as of yet with respect to any new information on Prior's condition.

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 6:46 pm

Chicago - Prior played toss from 10 feet with a beach ball.

He is done this year. Might as well drop him and pick up Mitre.

BONGIZMO · Post by **BONGIZMO** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 7:28 pm

At this early point in the season, I would have preferred what Prior would have given me versus what Pedro has...

Welcome to my world Gecko...injuries can sink ya faster than the Titantic which helped my abysmal performance last year that you harped on. All I can tell ya is with a thin WW, if they go down early and stay down it makes for a very long year.

No I'm not cackling because I have 4 on DL and 2 more hobbled, just trying to stay somewhat above the mendoza line and praying these guys start getting healthy soon...

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 12:48 am

I do have a couple "DL" guys that I'm waiting on, but I'm not sinking by any means. My team has a bankroll of points. I'm in the top 150 teams or so.

Return of the Aces · Post by **Return of the Aces** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 5:54 am

Gekko, here is the latest response to your rumor-mongering about Prior. Are you the source?:

Angry Baker labels report on Prior 'a lie'

Chicago Sun Times

April 18, 2004

Media reports Saturday suggesting Cubs pitcher Mark Prior might miss the season because of his Achilles injury drew an angry response from manager Dusty Baker.

''That's a lie,'' Baker said of a report that was picked up by ESPN and ESPN.com. The report implied it was Baker who suggested the scenario of Prior missing the season before Friday's game against the Cincinnati Reds.

''I don't know who's putting that out,'' Baker said. ''I'm tired of people putting words in my mouth that I don't say. He [Prior] didn't feel any soreness today [after throwing Friday]. He said he felt good. It seems like on the Internet now, you can put out anything you want without being accurate. No one's accountable for what they say.''

Prior said Saturday he felt ''fine'' after throwing 35 pitches Friday and taking Saturday off as a scheduled rest day.

On Friday, Baker was giving an update on Prior's latest rehab session, and at one point was asked if the Cubs could win without last year's 18-game winner. ''Can we win over the course of the year? Of course, but the task is more difficult [without Prior],'' he said.

Asked if the team could win in the short term without Prior, Baker said, ''We have no choice at this point. We have to do what we have to do until Mark gets back.''

The Cubs have said continually they are being cautious with Prior's rehab to avoid setbacks. Pitching coach Larry Rothschild said Friday the gradual throwing regimen is intended to prevent Prior from altering his pitching form, which could stress his arm or elbow.

Trainer Dave Groeschner on Saturday said Prior had no discomfort a day after throwing 35 pitches from around the mound. He will throw again today and tomorrow.

''His [right] Achilles and elbow felt great,'' Groeschner said. ''He has a little mechanical issue with his ankle [in his delivery], and we feel its related to the Achilles. We feel if we take care of the ankle, it will help the Achilles.''

Toni Ginnetti

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 6:14 am

Hey, believe what you want. I say Prior is done. Owners should think about cutting him. Hmmmm....cutting Prior, I wonder if that would be allowed?

Return of the Aces · Post by **Return of the Aces** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 6:18 am

Let's put this Prior talk to rest, until he returns or goes under the knife.

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 6:20 am

I'll put the Prior talk to rest until I want to post something more. Thanks.

Return of the Aces · Post by **Return of the Aces** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 6:37 am

It is a free country. But, you said it all in your profile: Occupation: Misinformation.

Return of the Aces · Post by **Return of the Aces** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 9:59 am

June 4, 2004

To the dismay of a known naysayer....

Pitcher IP PC H ER BB K

Prior 6.0 85 2 0 0 8

Welcome back!

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 10:33 am

Sorry...Cubs placed RHP Mark Prior on the 15-day DL with a sprained ligament in his right elbow. Before that, Prior gave up two hits, walked none and struck out eight while throwing 85 pitches.

Return of the Aces · Post by **Return of the Aces** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 10:44 am

Prior was last heard laughing at Geeko, not with him.