Cubs Have Prior Commitments

[LeGrandOrange]

First Bobby Hill, now this. Bet some Cubs fans will be happier.

MILWAUKEE -- Mark Prior will make his highly anticipated debut with the Chicago Cubs next Wednesday after only three starts at Triple-A.

Prior, the second overall selection in the 2001 draft, will pitch at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates, giving a boost to the struggling Cubs. Chicago (13-26) came into the day with an eight-game losing streak.

"I'm worried about the expectations that are going to be placed on Mark," GM Andy MacPhail said. "It's a big step walking out there for the first time and then to bring him in when the team is struggling and have that kind of media attention that he's garnered through his career, it's going to be hard to meet those expectations."

Prior, considered by some the best college pitcher ever during his career at Southern California, was dominant in nine minor league starts. The 21-year-old right-hander was 5-2 with a 2.29 ERA in Double-A and Triple-A. He had 79 strikeouts in 51 innings.

In three starts at Triple-A Iowa, Prior went 1-1 with a 1.65 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings.

"I don't doubt that he'll go through some rough outings," MacPhail said. "It's unfair to expect he'll dominant in the major leagues the way he's dominated in the minor leagues. But it's pretty evident that he's ready, and it's pretty evident that we can use him here."

Prior made an immediate impression on the Cubs during spring training.

"You couldn't tell this guy was one of the most touted pitchers coming out of college the way he handled himself in spring training," Cubs manager Don Baylor said. "He was willing to listen, to talk.

"There's nothing I can tell him," Baylor said. "He has to experience that first inning for himself, get his feet on the ground and let him pitch."

[Slippery Pedro]

I have a feeling that his career will be the exception, rather than like the rule when it comes to young pitchers - - he'll be like Mussina, he'll hit the ground running and will not look back.

He should be that good.

[WiredTiger]

The expectations of Prior are so high that if he does struggle it could be tough on him. I would hate to see him be good but not great the first couple of years and be considered a failure. Not many people have dominated at his age.

[cubfan33]

Tickets still available! If anyone's in the area, let me know. Im SO there.

[moose]

A combined response to SP and Skip:

I sure HOPE he can hit the ground running like moose did, but if he DOESN'T, I hope that the expectations Skip mentioned don't have a top-pick-franchise-quarterback type of effect

[RichG]

Originally posted by LeGrandOrange


Prior, considered by some the best college pitcher ever during his career at Southern California, was dominant in nine minor league starts. The 21-year-old right-hander was 5-2 with a 2.29 ERA in Double-A and Triple-A. He had 79 strikeouts in 51 innings.

Does anyone know how Seaver did while he was at USC in the sixties?

[SmedIndy]

A few guys like Steve Arlin and Steve Dunning were also dominant college pitchers, as was Eddie Bane.

However, back then the college game wasn't what it is now.

Prior's first bad outings will be in a major league uniform. I wonder how he'll hold up.

[KCBOOMER]

I'd feel better if he wasn't playing with the Cubbies. The baby bruins like to use their kid pitchers too much. I keep waiting for Kerry Woods arm to blow again.

[poorme]

They hype with this guy is crazy. What are reasonable expectations? This team is so bad offensively, he's not going to win that many games. Would a 3.00 ERA be a disapointment?

[SmedIndy]

Originally posted by poorme
They hype with this guy is crazy. What are reasonable expectations? This team is so bad offensively, he's not going to win that many games. Would a 3.00 ERA be a disapointment?

No. I'd love to see a 4.00 ERA or below. I don't have expectations for 2002, but when he learns to pitch in the bigs, I do have expectations.

I hope he's not Ben McDonald, part deux....

[Craig S.]

Like several others, I'm mostly worried about the Cubs keeping him healthy. I'm hoping the Cubs have no expectations beyond getting him used to big-league hitters.

Even if he turns out great quickly like Kerry Wood did a couple of years ago, I hope they exercise caution. They're going nowhere this season, so they should only use Prior with an eye toward the future. I wouldn't even care about his ERA, as long as his pitches are all working and he's comfortable.

[Duque]

The Cubs look like they're falling further and further out of contention - which hopefully means Prior can come up and pitch without too much pressure. Aside from the huge pitch counts, one of Kerry Wood's problems in his rookie year was the number of high-leverage outings he had down the stretch with his team in a pennant race.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Originally posted by Duque
The Cubs look like they're falling further and further out of contention - which hopefully means Prior can come up and pitch without too much pressure.

Would you trust YOUR son's pitching arm to Don Baylor? Don's got one foot on the unemployment line and the other foot on a banana peel. He'll never manage in the bigs again if he's fired in Chi. What does he care about Mark Prior's arm?

Earl Weaver would have had Prior in long relief, building his arm up to the big-league starter workload gradually. Don played for Earl, but didn't study managing under him. Since Steve Arlin may well be Mark Prior's unwitting role model in the Baylor administration, I hope he did well on his Dental Boards.

[cubfan33]

Fuzzy - while I agree it may be ideal to get Prior some time in the pen or similar, he's NEVER relieved and I'm not sure you want him in those situations.

Also, what is a "major league workload?" Prior has proven in college and the minors (small sample size, sure) that he can throw a normal game at a dominant level. Without getting into pitch counts, he's proved he can throw 90-100 pitches at every level. How does going to the majors change that? Sure, he could get nervous and lose his mechanics, but a pitch is a pitch. I put the same amount of stress on my arm if Im throwing to little leaguers or Sammy Sosa.

[gyb13]

Knowing the Cubs think they should be in contention, it wouldn't surprise me to see Baylor ride Prior's arm like there's no tomorrow.