Reluctant Prior Put on the DL

Although he doesn’t like it, Chicago Cub pitcher Mark Prior will start the season on the disabled list for a second straight year.

“I didn’t want to go on the DL. I still don’t want to go on the DL,” Prior said Sunday. “I don’t consider myself injured like last year when I couldn’t even go out and throw.”

Manager Dusty Baker said that because Prior couldn’t throw for a week because of a sore elbow, he needs to build up his endurance. He is scheduled to start for triple-A Iowa in its season opener at Albuquerque on Thursday.

Last season, Prior started on the DL because of Achilles’ tendon and elbow problems and missed two months.

This year, though, Baker said the elbow inflammation that sidelined Prior in spring training and had bothered him since early March has healed, but since the right-hander needs more work, it was better to put him on the DL to make room for another pitcher on the active roster.

“We didn’t want to go a pitcher short, especially this early in the season,” Baker said, “because your starters aren’t ready to go more than six or seven innings, and we need that extra arm. It’s not a matter of Mark being injured. It’s a matter of him getting another start in the minor leagues, and the fact that we need that spot for an extra pitcher.”

Prior, who said he understood the Cubs’ move even if he didn’t like it, will be activated and start against San Diego on April 12, barring any setbacks.

Meanwhile, Kerry Wood pitched three innings of a minor league game Sunday. Wood initially was scheduled to pitch the opener against Arizona today but had his start pushed back to Friday’s home opener against Milwaukee.

His spring was slowed by bursitis in his right shoulder and inflammation in his rotator cuff.

*

Detroit Tiger right fielder Magglio Ordonez said he has recovered from an intestinal ailment that sidelined him for four days and will start today against Kansas City.

Ordonez had been bothered by the ailment known as diverticulitis for about a week and lost three or four pounds.

*

Roger Clemens was hit on the left wrist by a line drive off the bat of Kansas City’s Matt Stairs during a Houston Astros’ exhibition loss Saturday but didn’t think the injury was significant.

“It is a little sore, but I’m going to ice it. It will be all right,” said Clemens, who will make his first regular season start Friday against Cincinnati.

*

New York Met right-hander Kris Benson felt some tightness while throwing in the bullpen and will not travel to Cincinnati for the season opener. The team said the setback might affect Benson’s first regular-season start, scheduled for Saturday at Atlanta. ... As expected, New York Yankee pitcher Kevin Brown, 40, went on the 15-day disabled list because of a bad back. ... Shortstop Pokey Reese was put on the 15-day disabled list by the Seattle Mariners because of a sore right shoulder.