Starting Schedule

ESPN reports that Prior threw 50 pitches on March 22, 35 off the mound and 15 on the side. If you take Ivy Chat gospel on 4 weeks from Mound to Majors, that puts a first start date for Mark likely no earlier than April 19th.

Looking at the schedule, the "fifth starter" (Mitre or Cruz) is scheduled to start on April 10, 16, 21 and 26. However, if Baker decides that off days make a 5th starter unecessary, no fifth starter is needed until April 19th. I think that's the earliest you could hope to see Prior.

My predicition: Prior starts one of the games of the Mets series. Give me a $2 bet on Saturday April 24.