Mark Prior threw the first of what appears will be three rehab starts today, pitching 2 innings for the Cubs' low-A affiliate Peoria and allowing 3 runs, 2 earned. All three runs came in the 2nd inning, when Prior allowed 4 hits, including a solo home run.

According to MLB.com, Prior topped out a 90 mph, and his fastball mostly hit 88 mph. There's been some concern about Prior's velocity for some time now, which is not surprising given that Prior has been out with shoulder problems.

Prior, though, says he's not concerned: "It never really concerns me what I throw, really. Maddux is throwing 82 [mph] out there and he's still doing it." Except that's not true. Maddux can still hit 90 on the gun and, in any event, has movement on his fastball and his straight change that few pitchers in the history of the game have ever had. Plus, the Cubs are not looking for Prior to be what Maddux has been over the past few years; they're looking for greatness, or at least something close to greatness.

Prior also said that "in these types of situations, you look at your execution more than what the outcome is." These types of statements don't make any sense. When the execution is there, the outcome is as well, at least when a pitcher like Mark Prior is throwing to low-A caliber hitters.