The Chicago Tribune and MLB.com both report that Mark Prior (20 pitches) and Kerry Wood (15 pitches) both threw off of a mound for the first time this spring today. (Hat tip: View from the Bleachers.) Neither one of them apparently aired it out.

There are no comments from Wood, but Dusty Baker says he looked "happy."

MLB.com has plenty of quotes from Prior, who twice said his time on the mound was "awkward." That's certainly not the description we were all looking for, but it was his first time on the mound since September. Again, nothing to worry about yet. Though the Trib's Paul Sullivan says "Prior was supposed to start slowly all along" in order to avoid the problems he's had the last two springs. But Sullivan also quotes Prior as saying, "It wasn't intended to be this slow, but obviously it's something I have to recognize to take steps to prepare myself so I don't have any setbacks."

In other news, the Cubs continue the lead the league in cryptic statements.