For all the chicken littles out there, it is good to note that Mark Prior threw off a mound today for the first time in a while. Prior threw only 10 pitches, but felt things went well:

"Progress is that I at least had a release point where I had an idea of where the ball is going and the long toss felt pretty good. My arm strength is getting closer to where I would like it."

"It'd be nice if everyone concentrated on physically what am I doing, am I out there throwing, not am I in New Jersey ringing a bell and then flying there and back, and getting Tommy John and throwing today. If that was the case it'd be the first in medical history."

I had read reports earlier in the week saying that he was first scheduled to throw off a mound this coming weekend, so I consider this early mound work good news.