Seriously, what does the rulebook say about such things? If the Cubs are exploiting a "loophole", as it were, more power to them--it's about time they did something smart.

The Cubs never placed him on the DL, so are there really any shenanigans other than what the Cubs are feeding the media about their pitchers' health? They've been doing that for a few years now with Wood and Prior.

Mind you, since Prior played in a MLB exhibition game yesterday - now he can't be backdated on the DL prior to yesterday.

Honestly-- Bard?

He was in the upper 80s tops, time to step back from the koolaid about the 2007 season.

Before last season, I heard Mike Marshall, the kinesiologist and former Dodger's releiver talk about Prior and his injury history. He claimed that Prior was an accident waiting to recur, because of his mechanics. Doesn't anyone listen to people who might know whereof they speak? If he doesn't change the way he throws, he will continue hurting himself and keep missing time.

Mike Marshall can't get a job as a pitching coach because no one believes in his method. I don't believe he has a professional client. Certainly not one that has had any sucess. Prior works with Rick Peterson and Tom House in Alabama during the offseason. His mechanics are really good. Arms just break down, it's what arms do.

Tyler-That is the kind of thinking that's led to all of the non-success the Cubs have had over the years. They seemingly have tried everything else and Prior STILL gets injured every year. Don't you think maybe a new approach could help. He's not even throwing in the 90's. How bad could a change in his mechanics be? I couldn't get much worse, now, could it? And BTW-Just how much success have Peterson and House had? Not much that I can see the results from. You talk like they're Leo Mazzone. Not quite.

Tyler-One more thing. Yes, arms break down, but Prior's only 27 and has been injured EVERY season he's played in the bigs. They're not supposed to break down quite that fast.

Rick Peterson is one of the most respected pitching coaches in the game.

What I'm saying is the Mike Marshall isn't a respected pitching coach. No on in professional baseball trusts him. Not one kid in the minors has him as a coach. Maybe he should change his mechanics, but according to every scouting report I've ever read, Prior's mechanics just about better than anyone not named Greg Maddux.

Tyler-You are aware that Mike Marshall was the first relief pitcher to win a Cy Young Award? How can you say he doesn't know what he's talking about. Isn't his idea worth a try? What do the Cubs have to lose? Prior has been continuosly injured. Wood, too for that matter. Doesn't that speak volumes to you about the Cubs methods to this point. Prior will be useless to you again if he remains injured because he doesn't throw right. And as far as Marshall, he has a doctoral degree in Kinesiology and is a college professor, rather than being a pitching coach. He TEACHES his subject. As long as the Cubs continue to do things hind end first, all they will do is spend much money and go home in October to watch other teams in the playoffs. If I were you, I wouldn't bank my bucks on Jason Marquis, that's for sure. Do things the same old way and the results will be the same old results. You'd think Cubs fans would be sick of it by now. Even the Red Sox beat their streak. Not the do it the same wayCubs, though.

The Cubs can claim with justification that Prior is rehabbing an injury from last year (he was on the DL from August 11 through the end of the season - rotator cuff tendinitis):

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_previousnews.aspx?sport=MLB&id=3328

Pitchers on the DL are allowed to rehab in the minors for a fixed period of time (30 days?), so I see nothing wrong with the Cubs putting him on the DL and letting him rehab in the minors, starting that clock; once that clock is done, they'll have to either put him on the roster, move him to the 60-day DL (resetting the clock) or make some compensatory move.

Yes, the DL can be exploited - every year, Rule 5 picks come down with stubbed toes and so forth, but it's not just for those who are hurt; it's also for those who were hurt, and are coming back from that injury. Prior on the DL doesn't seem egregious - he missed major time last year and finished the year on the DL. Why is this such a big deal?

Just to add my 2 cents about Mike Marshall:
He pitched 208 innings in relief one season. From 71-75 his IP, in relief, were, consecutively, 112, 116, 179, 208, and 109. In 1974 he pitched in 106 games.

In 1979, at age 36, Marshall pitched in 90 games, 142 innings, saved 32 games, had a 10-15 record and a 2.65 e.r.a.
GMs and old-school baseball people don't like him because he's egotistical and outspoken, but certainly the man knows a thing or two about keeping one's arm healthy and productive.