If the Cubs released Mark Prior

[TheoSqua]

Let me add a note, they release him, AND he will NEVER be able to get his velocity back to even 90 MPH.

Would you still sign him, and hope he can learn to be a finesse pitcher?

I still would; isn't that what we're hoping now, with Anthony Reyes?

Sort of, but not completely. Reyes still has a fastball that breaks 90mph, even if it isn't high 90's it's still better than 85.

[heyzeus]

Reyes was hitting 91 in his last start. That's not explosive but it's acceptable.

Prior hasn't gone above 87 yet. Piniella wants him making minor league starts so that he can get his confidence back and "avoid the media" for awhile.

Ya know, there's an interesting passage in Three Nights In August where LaRussa (in '03) looks at Prior and thinks about the cocky young ace on the mound, and wonders about how Rick Ankiel was once similarly positioned. Interesting, no?

[skmsw]

Reyes was hitting 91 in his last start. That's not explosive but it's acceptable.

At the risk of repeating myself, yes, he was hitting 91. It's only spring training, and not even halfway through it at that -- but hitting 91 is not the same as sitting at 91, working at 91.

If he is working at 87, 88, 89 and "hitting" 91 -- like last year -- instead of working at 91, 92, 93 and "hitting" 95+ -- like 2005 -- then SO FAR, he is still the same pitcher as he was in 2006, when he gave up too many homers and had an ERA of 5 (and a FIP of 5.50).

And yes, command and location are imporrtant, I readily admit. But those things were no great shakes for Reyes in 2006 either. His command and control were off by as much in 2006 as his velocity. If the velocity is not back yet, how do we know the command and control will be?

[heyzeus]

Reyes was hitting 91 in his last start. That's not explosive but it's acceptable.

At the risk of repeating myself, yes, he was hitting 91. It's only spring training, and not even halfway through it at that -- but hitting 91 is not the same as sitting at 91, working at 91.

If he is working at 87, 88, 89 and "hitting" 91 -- like last year -- instead of working at 91, 92, 93 and "hitting" 95+ -- like 2005 -- then SO FAR, he is still the same pitcher as he was in 2006, when he gave up too many homers and had an ERA of 5 (and a FIP of 5.50).

And yes, command and location are imporrtant, I readily admit. But those things were no great shakes for Reyes in 2006 either. His command and control were off by as much in 2006 as his velocity. If the velocity is not back yet, how do we know the command and control will be?

Are command and velocity related? I ask because I have no idea. I presume this would be different for different pitchers, and would also depend on whether the pitcher is making a conscious decision to emphasize control over velocity. I also don't know whether or not Reyes is trying to do so.

[skmsw]

Reyes was hitting 91 in his last start. That's not explosive but it's acceptable.

At the risk of repeating myself, yes, he was hitting 91. It's only spring training, and not even halfway through it at that -- but hitting 91 is not the same as sitting at 91, working at 91.

If he is working at 87, 88, 89 and "hitting" 91 -- like last year -- instead of working at 91, 92, 93 and "hitting" 95+ -- like 2005 -- then SO FAR, he is still the same pitcher as he was in 2006, when he gave up too many homers and had an ERA of 5 (and a FIP of 5.50).

And yes, command and location are imporrtant, I readily admit. But those things were no great shakes for Reyes in 2006 either. His command and control were off by as much in 2006 as his velocity. If the velocity is not back yet, how do we know the command and control will be?

Are command and velocity related? I ask because I have no idea. I presume this would be different for different pitchers, and would also depend on whether the pitcher is making a conscious decision to emphasize control over velocity.

I would say that you're right -- it depends. But a few generalities probably apply to this discussion:

1. Command and control are not, at least the way I use them, the same thing. Control is being able to put the ball where you want to (hitting spots, throwing strikes when you need to, limiting walks); command is being able to get the ball to do what you want it to (amount and direction of movement).

2. Sometimes injuries or mechanical problems that affect one, also affect the others.

3. Probably ALL pitchers have a point at which adding velocity takes away command/location, and vice versa. But the point at which more of one means less of the others is different for different pitchers; some pitchers have to move way down the line before you start trading off, others lose some with even small efforts to add the other.

I also don't know whether or not Reyes is trying to do so.

Well, there was an article in the paper last week in which he was pretty extensively quoted -- saying he knows that in 2006 he was simply unable to throw as hard as he was used to, and had no idea why, and that the ball is not as livelky for him as it had been.

[Radio_Bugtussle]

Would you want the Cardinals to pick him up?

I'd volunteer to drive him down from Chicago.