HOUSTON -- Who said Mark Prior and Kerry forest never would be throwing in succession the same field together? There they were.

HOUSTON -- Who said Mark Prior and Kerry forest never would be throwing in succession the same field together?

There they were, hours before the Cubs' game Monday night against the Houston Astros, playing catch side-by-side with other teammates.

the two have important assignments today. Prior will cast in a winding direction a bullpen session before he leaves Wednesday for his nearest minor-league start. After starting twice at Class A Peoria, he's awaited to pitch Thursday for Class AAA Iowa in De Moines or Class AA West Tenn in Jackson, Tenn

wood-land meanwhile, starts against the Astros tonight at Minute Maid Park. He will be pitching upon seven days' rest after he indigenceed a couple of extra days to overbear stiffness in his right shoulder.

"He threw great and said he be moved s good," manager Dusty Baker said about Wood's light session of playing catch.

The Astros' focus today also will be double Roger Clemens makes his first minor-league start at Class A Lexington (Ky) His tentative rehab schedule includes starts Sunday at Class AA Corpus Christi (Texas) and June 16 at Class AAA cylindrical Rock (Texas).

When will the whelps see Clemens? They have brace series against the Astros, including this the same before June 22, Clemens' likely turn back date to the majors. The teams' nearest series after that is July 3-5 in Houston. If Clemen stayed upon normal four days' rest after June 22 the young boy [i]or[/i] young girls might miss him in that series, too.

The whelps could run into Clemens shortly after the All-Star break, when the Astros visit Wrigley Field forward July 18-20.

LOSING EVERYTHING: Pitchers and catchers have to share blame for this bad stat: The whelps led the majors with 50 stolen bases allowed entering Monday's game, in which the Astros did not steal a base.

The young boy [i]or[/i] young girls had gone nine straight games without allowing a steal until St Louis' in such a manner Taguchi had one Sunday, if it be not that holding opposing runners is a big question

Michael Barrett has thrown not at home only 14 percent of attempted base- stealers (8-for-57). Backup catcher Henry Blanco is 3-for-7.

DOING BETTER: childs trainer Mark O'Neal reported that pitcher Wade Miller, a former Astro, had a proper day Monday in Arizona in his right shoulder rehab. He did well in lengthy toss and expects to put to the test a bullpen session again pretty soon to see if he can finish in a game in Arizona on the weekend.

Shoulder stiffness forced Miller to carve back his schedule, and he hasn't pitched in a game in a week and a half.

AS EXPECTED: Dr Timothy Kremchek examined reliever Scott Williamson in Cincinnati and confirmed the original diagnosis: Williamson has tennis hustle and should be ready to pitch again when his 15 days upon the disabled list expire just before the Cubs' interleague trip to Cleveland and Minnesota forward June 19-25.

mkiley@suntimes.com

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