Chicago Cubs Baseball

I’m no soothsayer. I’ve never even played a baseball game past my teenage years. But I do know this: unless you’re Greg Maddux, Tim Wakefield or Tom Glavine, an 88 mph fastball won’t cut it in the big leagues. And if you top that off with spotty control and a flat curve ball you’re probably ready as a pine time player for the local high school team.

But that’s exactly what Chicago Cubs baseball pitcher Mark Prior threw up to the plate yesterday against those mighty Sultans of Swing, the Kansas City Royals. Prior’s line read exactly like this:

• Two innings pitched
• Four hits, four runs, four earned runs
• Three bases on balls and 0 strikeouts

It was the second straight outing the boy with the once golden arm has been shelled, shellacked, bombed and bombarded by the opposition. And that doesn’t take into account the holes he’s dug himself with erratic control, no pop on his fastball and a curve - well, just doesn’t exist anymore.

These are not good times for Prior or for Chicago Cubs baseball. What do you do when you’re 26 years old, a major league baseball pitcher and your fastball has no zing, your curve ball doesn’t break and you left the pinpoint control you once had back in 2003?

And what do you do if you’re the Cubs organization? Prior’s stock has fallen faster than the Dow on Black Friday. He’s gone from projected staff ace to projected fifth starter to predictable flash in the pan.

To illustrate how far Prior has dropped, Cubs manager Lou Piniella has moved Wade Miller, Neal Cotts and Angel Guzman all ahead of Prior for the fifth starter slot. Yes, Sweet Lou has more confidence in Guzman at this point than Prior.

Despite the lack of visible success, Prior insists all is well - well, besides his mechanics. He’s healthy. His arm feels good. It’s just those darn mechanics.

Funny, those are the same guys I blame for all my car problems.

But I have another thought. Maybe it’s staleness. Maybe you didn’t do yourself any favors by spending the better portion of three years on the disabled list. And maybe all that time listening for that twinge of pain in your elbow or waiting for the shoulder to pop wasn’t worth the time spent

Like I said, I’m no soothsayer. And I certainly don’t know how Prior’s career will play out. But I do know that the clock is ticking and Prior’s time is just about up as a Cub.