bostonguy
06-24-2008, 08:05 PM
Curt Schilling may not be quite ready to ride off into the Boston sunset.
The veteran right-hander underwent successful surgery Monday on his pitching arm that included repairing a diseased biceps tendon, a SLAP (Superior Labrum from Anterior to Posterior) tear in his labrum and a slight tear in the rotator cuff.
The fruitful surgery means that the 41-year-old could potentially be ready to pitch by the 2009 All-Star break, but it won't necessarily be in a Red Sox uniform.
"We had reached a point where we weren't counting on him to come back. Obviously you never count a guy like Curt Schilling out, but we always knew this was a possibility," Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said. "Certainly for a 41-year-old, the nature of this surgery is never a great bet (to return to pitching), but I think he's prepared to work hard during the winter and come back for the second half of next season somewhere if he can."
Will the Sox pursue Schilling -- a free agent for next year -- and allow their bloody-socked hero to finish off his career in Boston?
"It's a little premature for that," Epstein said. "It would depend on how deep our starting rotation is and what our needs are."
It's not too premature, however, to call Schilling's 2008 season over.
Craig Morgan, Schilling's personal physician and a renowned name in the fields of shoulder and knee surgery, estimated Schilling could begin throwing off a pitcher's mound by January. The rotator cuff was believed to be the biggest potential roadblock to resuming his career, and the cuff's minor repair leaves the door wide open for a return.
Schilling will wear a sling around his right shoulder for the next three weeks, then will move on to range-of-motion and arm-strengthening exercises six weeks after the surgery. Morgan estimates that Schilling -- if his rehab is successful -- would be ready to resume throwing off flat ground by October. This would give the 216-game winner roughly six months to build up the arm strength needed for him to return next summer.
The 1-hour, 45-minute surgery was performed in Morgan's home base of operations in Wilmington, Del., and the doctor termed everything a success considering the previously unknown state of his shoulder.
DIAMONDBACKS 2, RED SOX 1: In a rare pitcher's duel at Fenway Park, RHP Josh Beckett was on the losing end despite allowing only a pair of runs on five hits through eight innings. The Boston offense was held to four hits, and the lone Red Sox run came in the eighth inning on OF J.D. Drew's sacrifice fly to center field.
Copyright (C) 2008 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/teams/report/BOS/10875721
The veteran right-hander underwent successful surgery Monday on his pitching arm that included repairing a diseased biceps tendon, a SLAP (Superior Labrum from Anterior to Posterior) tear in his labrum and a slight tear in the rotator cuff.
The fruitful surgery means that the 41-year-old could potentially be ready to pitch by the 2009 All-Star break, but it won't necessarily be in a Red Sox uniform.
"We had reached a point where we weren't counting on him to come back. Obviously you never count a guy like Curt Schilling out, but we always knew this was a possibility," Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said. "Certainly for a 41-year-old, the nature of this surgery is never a great bet (to return to pitching), but I think he's prepared to work hard during the winter and come back for the second half of next season somewhere if he can."
Will the Sox pursue Schilling -- a free agent for next year -- and allow their bloody-socked hero to finish off his career in Boston?
"It's a little premature for that," Epstein said. "It would depend on how deep our starting rotation is and what our needs are."
It's not too premature, however, to call Schilling's 2008 season over.
Craig Morgan, Schilling's personal physician and a renowned name in the fields of shoulder and knee surgery, estimated Schilling could begin throwing off a pitcher's mound by January. The rotator cuff was believed to be the biggest potential roadblock to resuming his career, and the cuff's minor repair leaves the door wide open for a return.
Schilling will wear a sling around his right shoulder for the next three weeks, then will move on to range-of-motion and arm-strengthening exercises six weeks after the surgery. Morgan estimates that Schilling -- if his rehab is successful -- would be ready to resume throwing off flat ground by October. This would give the 216-game winner roughly six months to build up the arm strength needed for him to return next summer.
The 1-hour, 45-minute surgery was performed in Morgan's home base of operations in Wilmington, Del., and the doctor termed everything a success considering the previously unknown state of his shoulder.
DIAMONDBACKS 2, RED SOX 1: In a rare pitcher's duel at Fenway Park, RHP Josh Beckett was on the losing end despite allowing only a pair of runs on five hits through eight innings. The Boston offense was held to four hits, and the lone Red Sox run came in the eighth inning on OF J.D. Drew's sacrifice fly to center field.
Copyright (C) 2008 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/teams/report/BOS/10875721