Roy's back sucks

Latest word on Roy's back ain't good, and he's been shut down for the year.

Roy:
"It just ain’t going away. I’ve pitched with it for (four) starts, and it’s just not getting any better. It’s just kind of lingering more and more. If we were in contention fighting for the playoffs, I would probably get up and just try to block it and ride it as long as I could. But I don’t want it to linger on for next year."

Easy Eddie and Roy got together. Ed told him what's what, and Roy agreed. Roy:
“We both decided it’d probably be best. If I skipped a start, you’re looking at two starts, just to make two starts. And right now I’m not able to throw between starts, so it doesn’t make a lot of sense to just to try to come back and throw two starts. Especially with young guys down here, you’ll be able to see young guys go in my spot.”

Coop:
“We can’t have Roy going and not really being himself and maybe causing the issues with his arm at some point. We can’t take a chance on that.”

Apparently, Coop has some knowledge - because that's exactly what happened. Roy has been feeling soreness in his shoulder and numbness in his leg.

Roy:
“I could tell I was getting sore in different areas than I normally do. I’m scared that trying to protect my back I’m going to start throwing a little bit more (with pressure on the) arm. I don’t want it to go to my shoulder.”

What about surgery, there, Roy?
“One surgery they can do is something about a laser and something about heating the nerve and killing it. It’s 50-50. I really don’t want to lose feeling in my leg.”

Can't say I blame him.

Wade, on Roy's treatment:
“Talking to the back specialist over the week, it didn’t sound as if … it’s not a surgical back. There have been changes in his back that are creating this nerve issue that he’s going through now. And I guess the hope is that by doing the trunk-strengthening exercises he’ll be able to build that core strength up.”

See you in February, Roy!