Liriano the next Mark Prior

[ChrisLDuncan]

Well he's likely to miss the 2007 season (sorry Twins fans) so I'd say unfortuantely I am right, I wish I was wrong here. Your thoughts, and how do the Twins do without him?

[hudsonharden]

You just might be wrong. Who's to say how Liriano's career will work itself out.

[ChrisLDuncan]

You just might be wrong.
I hope I am; the kid has wicked stuff and could have a case full of Cy Youngs before his career is over.

[SamtheBravesFan]

Here's a link. (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2648521) ;)

[rockin500]

having tommy john surgery is hardly a death sentence for a pitcher...

[Zito75]

I am more interested in seeing how Santana responds. With Radke retiring the rotation needs a serious overhaul. It goes without saying, but Johan is going to have tons of pressure on him.

[Disgruntaledmarinerfan]

I only got the privilage to watch liriano pitch a hand full of times this year, but from what i did see of him, I was really impressed. He was pitching with a confidence that I have never seen from a rookie, he is a great pitcher and will be for many years to come. He will not be the next Mark Prior, he will be far Superior.

[Astro]

Well he's likely to miss the 2007 season (sorry Twins fans) so I'd say unfortuantely I am right, I wish I was wrong here. Your thoughts, and how do the Twins do without him?
I'd say you are vastly incorrect... mainly because many young pitchers have TJ surgery...

Oh, and the little fact, that Mark Prior has never had Tommy John surgery to my knowledge

[Honus Wagner Rules]

No!....:mad:

[ChrisLDuncan]

Hey guys I want to be wrong, it just seems like all of his elbow problems and awesome rookie season seems like a left-handed Mark Prior

But I did not see that it was Tommy John Surgery, they didn't say that on ESPN

[Astro]

Hey guys I want to be wrong, it just seems like all of his elbow problems and awesome rookie season seems like a left-handed Mark Prior

But I did not see that it was Tommy John Surgery, they didn't say that on ESPN
All of his elbow problems? The guy has been in the majors for one full season... he had one injury and was foolishly rushed back... nothing more, nothing less

[Rapmaster]

All of his elbow problems? The guy has been in the majors for one full season... he had one injury and was foolishly rushed back... nothing more, nothing less

*cough* Kerry Wood
*cough* Mark Prior
*cough* Steve Avery
*cough* me in little leagues :mad:

[wu-tang clan]

mariano and smoltz were able to have good careers with TJ surgery, so im hoping liriano will :)

[Astro]

*cough* Kerry Wood
*cough* Mark Prior
*cough* Steve Avery
*cough* me in little leagues :mad:
Mark Prior didnt have common injuries until this season really... the injuries at the beginning of his career were bizarre... such as Marcus Giles running into him on the basepaths and causing him to miss a large amount of time

[SamtheBravesFan]

*cough* Kerry Wood
*cough* Mark Prior
*cough* Steve Avery
*cough* me in little leagues :mad:

Steve Avery? I don't know about that one.

[SamtheBravesFan]

Mark Prior didnt have common injuries until this season really... the injuries at the beginning of his career were bizarre... such as Marcus Giles running into him on the basepaths and causing him to miss a large amount of time

I thought Marcus missed more time than Prior o.O

[Redlightning]

Steve Avery? I don't know about that one.
Neither do I, but he missed about 3 straight seasons from '00 to '02. That might be it.

[KCGHOST]

Tough break for the Twins and Liriano. Let's hope his recovery goes well.

[rockin500]

I thought Marcus missed more time than Prior o.O
prior missed about 3 weeks or so off of that. then he had an achilles problem the next spring (he didnt return until early june) and then suffered the elbow injury from the brad hawpe batted ball after one missed start due to an arm issue early in 2005 (he had i think it was 4 starts prior to the start where he got hurt in which he was good). after that, from most accounts it looks like he changed his mechanics a little bit in his upper body the rest of that year and this past year he was hurt.

[Zito75]

Mark Prior didnt have common injuries until this season really... the injuries at the beginning of his career were bizarre... such as Marcus Giles running into him on the basepaths and causing him to miss a large amount of time

You'd also think he's got psychological issues by now... He hasn't exactly lived up to expectations.

[Los Bravos]

I thought Marcus missed more time than Prior o.OIndeed. Giles had to miss the All Star Game because that oaf ran the bases like Vincent Schiavelli.

[Rapmaster]

I never liked Mark Prior, he seems extremely arrogant. In the 2003 NLDS, Gary Sheffield went up to bat for the first time. Prior's control had been great up until then and everybody knew Sheff was nursing a bum hand. Guess where the next pitch went? Straight into his hands. And Prior ran into Giles, remember Giles is 5'9" and Prior's well over 6'.

And Avery was considered to be probably the best between Smoltz, Glavine, and himself until '93. He did something to a muscle under his shoulder and his career declined.

[Astro]

I never liked Mark Prior, he seems extremely arrogant. In the 2003 NLDS, Gary Sheffield went up to bat for the first time. Prior's control had been great up until then and everybody knew Sheff was nursing a bum hand. Guess where the next pitch went? Straight into his hands. And Prior ran into Giles, remember Giles is 5'9" and Prior's well over 6'.

And Avery was considered to be probably the best between Smoltz, Glavine, and himself until '93. He did something to a muscle under his shoulder and his career declined.
Wow... you want a baby-bottle too?

So he is supposed to throw a pitch an injured sheffield can hit because the poor guy is injured?

And Marcus Giles runs into the base paths and Mr. Prior is supposed to stop in the middle of running and avoid him? Last time I checked Giles is supposed to avoid the runner

[Rapmaster]

Wow... you want a baby-bottle too?

So he is supposed to throw a pitch an injured sheffield can hit because the poor guy is injured?

And Marcus Giles runs into the base paths and Mr. Prior is supposed to stop in the middle of running and avoid him? Last time I checked Giles is supposed to avoid the runner

So walk him. He throws 5 straight strikes on the paint then misses up and in on sheffield, perfectly into a broken bone? It's not that he was pitching around him, do that all you want. But that pitch had intent in it and was unnecessary. Pitch around him, don't throw a 95 mph fastball at a guy's broken bone, it's unsportsmanlike.

And the Prior Giles incident, Prior looked like he wanted to interfere with Giles. Nobody says anything about it because he screwed up his shoulder and also went down. He flat out ran him over.

[plask_stirlac]

Mark Prior? So Matsui is now JD Drew?

Well, we'd like to think anyone with great talent won't miss time, as Liriano will, but I can't say he's Mark Prior. He'll just miss a season like Griffey nearly did, Morgan in '68, etc.

Prior was the CY favorite before 2004, but started the year injures. It wasn't his arm, I think. Then he pitched (and Wood was down) but injured his arm. Once they were both down, that's when their rep changed.

Then he started 2005 on the DL, came back, and was shot on the elbow by a liner in a stunning moment (the Wrigley faithful went silent, observing their doomed luck). But he had a really nice September including one of the best-pitched games in the majors that year.

Then 2006.

[W_Marone]

Prior's injuries were more of freak things....he didnt have tommy john if I remember correctly. A lot of pitchers come back from tommy john and play outstandingly. Smoltz, Rivera, etc. etc. He should be fine, sure he'll probably miss all of 2007 but I think the twins will take him gone for a season for a healthy Liriano for a long time. Imagine how he was before surgury, think of how good he could be coming back from a surgury that improves his arm. It's scary.

[ChrisLDuncan]

Prior's injuries were more of freak things....he didnt have tommy john if I remember correctly. A lot of pitchers come back from tommy john and play outstandingly. Smoltz, Rivera, etc. etc. He should be fine, sure he'll probably miss all of 2007 but I think the twins will take him gone for a season for a healthy Liriano for a long time. Imagine how he was before surgury, think of how good he could be coming back from a surgury that improves his arm. It's scary.

Well I hope I'm wrong, I really really do. However, I'm somewhat of a cynic so I have less faith in the Twins organization with Liriano. Right when he was feeling elbow tension you SHUT HIM DOWN, but they played him. Hopefully they'll give him all the time he needs.

[rockin500]

Mark Prior? So Matsui is now JD Drew?

Well, we'd like to think anyone with great talent won't miss time, as Liriano will, but I can't say he's Mark Prior. He'll just miss a season like Griffey nearly did, Morgan in '68, etc.

Prior was the CY favorite before 2004, but started the year injures. It wasn't his arm, I think. Then he pitched (and Wood was down) but injured his arm. Once they were both down, that's when their rep changed.

Then he started 2005 on the DL, came back, and was shot on the elbow by a liner in a stunning moment (the Wrigley faithful went silent, observing their doomed luck). But he had a really nice September including one of the best-pitched games in the majors that year.

Then 2006.
and starting 2005 on the DL was merely a procedural move since they only needed 4 starters the first week of the season, he still made I believe 28 starts despite missing 5 starts due to the line drive.

[PhilWings24]

You just might be wrong. Who's to say how Liriano's career will work itself out.

true, but things are lookin awful far from sunny right now.

great, great talent. shame to see it get- at the very least- held back for so long

[plask_stirlac]

Well I hope I'm wrong, I really really do. However, I'm somewhat of a cynic so I have less faith in the Twins organization with Liriano. Right when he was feeling elbow tension you SHUT HIM DOWN, but they played him. Hopefully they'll give him all the time he needs.

He would still have elbow issues to address without that rehab and short start.

[Los Bravos]

And the Prior Giles incident, Prior looked like he wanted to interfere with Giles. Nobody says anything about it because he screwed up his shoulder and also went down. He flat out ran him over.That's exactly what he did. I've had little use for him since then.

He's like a blander Kevin Brown.

[Rookie1914]

I'd say you are vastly incorrect... mainly because many young pitchers have TJ surgery...

Oh, and the little fact, that Mark Prior has never had Tommy John surgery to my knowledge

That is correct. Just a run of bad luck. Prior is far from finished.

[EvanAparra]

That is correct. Just a run of bad luck. Prior is far from finished.
Not if its actually bad mechanics. Although, i'm hardly one to judge a ML pitcher's mechanics... Any truth to that?

[Rapmaster]

Not if its actually bad mechanics. Although, i'm hardly one to judge a ML pitcher's mechanics... Any truth to that?

His mechanics were hailed as "perfect" when he entered the draft picture. But even "perfect" mechanics stress out the body when repeated 200+ times on game day and 50+ times every other day.

[EvanAparra]

His mechanics were hailed as "perfect" when he entered the draft picture. But even "perfect" mechanics stress out the body when repeated 200+ times on game day and 50+ times every other day.
Well then wouldn't that apply to every starting pitcher?

[Rapmaster]

Well then wouldn't that apply to every starting pitcher?

meh, everybody's different. Prior was young and was simply overused. Mechanics will slow injuries from forming, but work is work. IIRC, Wood and Prior were 1 and 2 in pitches in 2003. No surprise in both of them getting shut down for a good amount of time. Pedro's the same way, Avery was the same way, Smoltz for a while (till he fully healed up I guess), etc... I guess Prior just couldn't throw that much.

[Los Bravos]

I was under the distinct impression that his mechanics have always been a concern. I could be mistaken about that, but it's (at least) a minority opinion that I've heard and read, and I don't seek out discussions of the man.

To put it mildly.

[Astro]

I was under the distinct impression that his mechanics have always been a concern. I could be mistaken about that, but it's (at least) a minority opinion that I've heard and read, and I don't seek out discussions of the man.

To put it mildly.
His mechanics were all considered text-book... he may have changed them a tad due to odd injuries such as a collison on the basepath or a comebacker off the elbow, but his mechanics are not a problem at all

You want to see bad mechanics, go watch Francisco Rodriguez pitch... you cant get much worse than that

[rockin500]

I was under the distinct impression that his mechanics have always been a concern. I could be mistaken about that, but it's (at least) a minority opinion that I've heard and read, and I don't seek out discussions of the man.

To put it mildly.
that was kerry wood. he was the one with bad mechanics.

[Los Bravos]

There are also a lot of people who feel Wood was overworked even as an amateur.