The Prior injury part deux.

Though Prior experienced elbow pain in his last start in Milwaukee, the Cubs kept it quiet, and he hoped it would go away with nine days of rest.

"It's something I've been dealing with on and off since spring training," Prior said. "It has been kind of a mental battle, going in every game and battling myself to make sure I'm all right, make sure I'm healthy. Hopefully we can get some answers this time on what it really is. I can't tell you where I'm at or where I'm going to be.

Elbow pain nine days ago and the Cubs best medical treatment is, "Na Na Na Na Na Na, if you ignore it, it will go away! Na Na Na Na Na Na Na!" What is our trainer an idiot? This sickens me and depressed me at the same time.

Ivy Chat may be correct...

Mark Prior leaves the game tonight after 1 and 2/3 innings pitched with a sore elbow. This is likely the same injury that really shelved Prior back in March.

Prior does reveal that this has been going on since spring training, so it certainly falls within the time frame.

I can't even begin to speculate how serious his injury is, but it is not good when the media is mentioning this.

Prior will undergo tests Friday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. If it turns out to be a torn ulnar lateral ligament, the Cubs right-hander could face the prospect of undergoing season-ending reconstructive elbow surgery, and returning next July at the earliest.

It is like they are setting us up for the worst. And if it turns out to be this serious I will blame it all on Dusty Baker for completely abusing Mark Prior when he injured his achilles last September by increasing his workload. With out the normal power from his leg's Prior probably tried to compensate by using his arm to throw harder which caused more stress on the elbow and resulted in the lingering damage.

I don't buy the theory that increased workloads don't cause arm damage that is peddled. You find me one single doctor who tells you after an injury to increase your work out rate and the injury will heal. On top of that Prior had never pitched that many pitches in 1 game or pitched that many games or innings in a season. I think we all bought into Prior is a robot and has perfect mechanics BS. Hell it looks like Baker bought that hook line and sinker as well. But when a pitcher isn't used to that kind of work load and he is injured at the same time you have no idea how his body will hold up in that situation.

In the end Baker rode his horse until it broke, damn the consequences. That I am convinced of.