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The Cubs haven't taken any chances this spring with Mark Prior's aching Achilles tendon. Now they seem prepared to wait all of April before deciding when to give their ace right-hander his first start of the season.
Prior hasn't pitched in a Cactus League game because of inflammation in the tendon. He was originally scheduled to start the Cubs' third game of the season on April 8 at Cincinnati, but the Chicago Tribune reports that he'll likely sit out the first month.
Prior, who will start the season on the 15-day disabled list, is scheduled to have the tendon examined Monday.
"Those things can pop back up," manager Dusty Baker, quoted in the Tribune, said about the nature of the injury. "We're trying to stop it from lingering, trying to stop it from being chronic."
Because he's been careful not to overdo it on his creaky right leg, Prior has been unable to build up his normal arm strength. The hard-throwing right-hander also been bothered by back spasms of late and likely will be asked to make a minor-league rehab start before returning to the rotation.
"We're happy with the way he's coming along," general manager Jim Hendry told reporters last week. "He's progressing the way we had hoped. We're going to always be cautious."
Prior, 23, was 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA and 245 strikeouts in his first full big league season last year, finishing third in voting for the NL Cy Young Award.
Sergio Mitre, who became a contender to make Chicago's staff once the Cubs traded Juan Cruz to the Braves last week, likely will fill out the rotation in Prior's absence.
Prior first felt soreness in his Achilles last September as he helped pitch Chicago to the NL Central title, going 10-1 over the final two months of the season.
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The Cubs haven't taken any chances this spring with Mark Prior's aching Achilles tendon. Now they seem prepared to wait all of April before deciding when to give their ace right-hander his first start of the season.
Prior hasn't pitched in a Cactus League game because of inflammation in the tendon. He was originally scheduled to start the Cubs' third game of the season on April 8 at Cincinnati, but the Chicago Tribune reports that he'll likely sit out the first month.
Prior, who will start the season on the 15-day disabled list, is scheduled to have the tendon examined Monday.
"Those things can pop back up," manager Dusty Baker, quoted in the Tribune, said about the nature of the injury. "We're trying to stop it from lingering, trying to stop it from being chronic."
Because he's been careful not to overdo it on his creaky right leg, Prior has been unable to build up his normal arm strength. The hard-throwing right-hander also been bothered by back spasms of late and likely will be asked to make a minor-league rehab start before returning to the rotation.
"We're happy with the way he's coming along," general manager Jim Hendry told reporters last week. "He's progressing the way we had hoped. We're going to always be cautious."
Prior, 23, was 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA and 245 strikeouts in his first full big league season last year, finishing third in voting for the NL Cy Young Award.
Sergio Mitre, who became a contender to make Chicago's staff once the Cubs traded Juan Cruz to the Braves last week, likely will fill out the rotation in Prior's absence.
Prior first felt soreness in his Achilles last September as he helped pitch Chicago to the NL Central title, going 10-1 over the final two months of the season.
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