Prior fans eight in rehab start
LANSING, Mich. -- Mark Prior didn't feel good on the mound on Tuesday night, but neither his Achilles nor his elbow was the problem.

"I felt fine physically," said Prior after allowing two hits and a run in 4 1/3 innings for the Lansing Lugnuts in a Class A Midwest League game against the West Michigan Whitecaps. "I don't know if I felt kind of dead. I don't know if I had the life I usually do. ... I just didn't have the adrenaline going as much as I usually do."

The Chicago Cubs right-hander has been sidelined all season because of the sore Achilles and elbow, and Tuesday night was his second start for Lansing. He didn't allow a hit in three scoreless innings this past Thursday.

Prior, who was 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA in 2003, threw 62 pitches and 48 strikes. He struck out eight and didn't walk a batter.

"I feel like I'm getting closer," said Prior. "I feel like I'm getting back to where it needs to be to get back and compete at that (Major League) level."

He added: "(I) keep getting my endurance and keep getting in shape."

Cubs' director of player development Oneri Fleita said that Prior's fastball ranged from 89-93 mph.

Fleita also said that if things continued to go well, Prior would pitch for the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate -- the Iowa Cubs -- on Sunday.

"Looks like he's right on target to me," Fleita said. "He looked free and easy again tonight."

Prior said he threw around 10 changeups on Tuesday night, which is more than he did in his previous start and was happy with the way he threw most of them.

"I felt like my breaking ball was better than the last start," he said, "with the exception of that batter in the last inning."

That was to Whitecaps second baseman Kody Kirkland, who led off the fifth by lining a pitch up the middle and off the glove of Lansing second baseman Robinson Chirinos. It was originally called an error, but was later changed to a hit by the official scorer.

Prior also got a chance to work more from the stretch and reacted perfectly when a runner took off early from first on a steal attempt.

That came in the first inning when he ran the ball at West Michigan designated hitter Juan Francia, who had reached on an error by Lansing shortstop Carlos Rojas, and tossed the ball to first baseman Brian Dopirak, who tagged Francia out.

"I was glad the guy took off early and I was able to react properly and not balk," said Prior.

He added he's really getting antsy to get back to pitching in the Majors.

"I'm getting a little anxious," Prior said. "I'm getting closer."

He looked ready to me! I got some pretty good shots of him, will post them later. Glad that Lansing is so close, and I hope to get down there again sometime.