Prior To Make 2006 Debut Sunday

June 18, 200620 yr

There was no puff of white smoke emanating from Wrigley Field Saturday morning, but the Cubs announced Mark Prior will make his 2006 debut on Sunday against Detroit ace Kenny Rogers.

"It's been a long, hard road and I'm glad Mark is getting back on the mound," manager Dusty Baker said. "Hopefully we can keep him on the mound all year long."

Prior has being rehabbing the last three months with a strain of the subscapular muscle in his right shoulder. He made four rehab starts in the minors to build up stamina and arm strength, but the Cubs delayed a decision until Saturday to make sure there wasn't any lingering soreness in the arm.

"He didn't really want another minor league rehab," Baker said. "Didn't think he needed it. He's about as ready as he's going to get at this point."

Kerry Wood will also pitch in a simulated game in the next few days and could return next weekend in Minnesota, making it the first time since last July both Prior and Wood were in the rotation together. Wood is eligible to return from the disabled list on Thursday, an off day, so it depends on how the Cubs juggle their rotation.

"It's certainly a possibility," pitching coach Admin Rothschild said of Wood returning next weekend. "He's done well with what I saw yesterday. I don't want to give a date, but I would think it's wouldn't be a whole long time after he's eligible."

Rothschild said Prior should not have to go through the same problems Wood has experienced in between starts, slowing his recovery time.

"Surgery is different from what Mark's been through completely," Rothschild said. "I think Mark has been on a pretty steady schedule, the workloads and as far as his recovery, it's been pretty steady. With Kerry, we knew coming in when we activated him there would be times when it's touch and go, just because of his surgery and the sides in-between."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...i-sportsnew-hed

Quote