Bring him up now.
That was the consensus on Cubs prospect Mark Prior in the White Sox clubhouse Friday after Prior struck out seven and allowed one hit in three scoreless innings against the Sox in Tucson Electric Park.
Willie Harris saved the Sox in the end with a three-run, game-winning home run in the eighth inning of an 8-7 victory.
Frank Thomas said Prior reminds him of former Sox pitcher Alex Fernandez, who was promoted to the majors with Thomas in August of 1990 with virtually no minor-league experience.
“From what I saw today, he can pitch in the big leagues,” Thomas said. “He worked everyone. There were no free swings on him. He was in and out, up and down.”
Thomas, Ray Durham and Magglio Ordonez were among Prior’s strikeout victims, whom he nailed with fastballs, curves and changeups.
“When he got me with a strikeout I thought, `OK,'” Thomas said. “Then when he struck out Magglio next, I knew he was for real. I don’t see the Cubs wasting too much time with that kid. He has tremendous potential.”
Sox manager Jerry Manuel said only Curt Schilling has shown the Sox better stuff this spring.
“The thing that impressed me was he got three pitches over, threw a 3-2 changeup to Ray with runners moving, two outs and Frank Thomas on deck,” Manuel said. “He went right through some pretty good hitters today, and you have to give Joe [Girardi] a lot of credit because he knows how to bring a guy along. Prior really benefited from Girardi catching, but he was also able to execute those pitches.”
Waiting game: Thomas is 2-for-12 this spring with a double and a single. He admits he’s “not right” and doesn’t know when he’ll start to click.
“Right now I’m not getting back and seeing the ball like I’m capable,” he said. “The ball is jumping on me. It’s nothing unusual. It does happen the first weeks of spring and I have been away for awhile. I just have to be patient. I can’t beat myself up. I refuse to do that.”
Harold’s back: Harold Baines has been hired as a “visiting minor-league hitting instructor,” though he says it’s only on a “limited basis.” Baines didn’t receive an invitation to any major-league camp this spring but doesn’t consider himself retired.
“I don’t know that until the season starts,” he said.
Baines hopes he’ll get a last-second reprieve for one final shot at a championship ring. He said reports last winter he would be invited to Yankees camp were untrue.
This is the first time since 1977 that Baines has not been in a major-league spring-training camp.
“I don’t miss the baseball part of it, to be honest,” he said. “I enjoy being with my kids, and that’s taking the place of baseball. I do miss my teammates, but not the hard work to get ready, arriving early and leaving late.”
Howry update: Bob Howry gave up three runs in 2 2/3 innings, including a pair of home runs.
“One thing I really wanted to work on was keeping the ball down and limiting extra base hits I give up,” Howry said. “One of my problems last year was I’d give up two hits, and one was always a double or something in the gap.
“If I can go give up two singles in an inning–big deal–no one’s hurt. At least I didn’t give up any in the gap. . . . They were over the fence.”
SPRING REPORT
White Sox recap
SCORE: White Sox 8, Cubs 7.
SPRING RECORD: 3-5.
AT THE PLATE: Left-handed hitting Willie Harris hit a three-run home run off lefty Ron Mahay in the eighth, erasing a 7-5 deficit. Carlos Lee went 3-for-3.
ON THE MOUND: Todd Ritchie allowed five runs on six hits in four innings. Bob Howry served up two home runs in 2 2/3 innings. Keith Foulke pitched two scoreless innings.
IN THE FIELD: Jose Valentin committed his second error at third base.
CREDE WATCH: Joe Crede doubled and raised his spring average to .529.
NEXT UP: Split squad vs. Colorado at 2:05 p.m.; vs. Arizona at 8 p.m. Sox face Curt Schilling for the third time. Parque faces Rockies after velocity questions in first outing.
