Oswalt: "I didn't want to be labeled as a quitter"
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Oswalt: "I didn't want to be labeled as a quitter"
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Still have a story to write, but here is a quick transcription of Roy Oswalt's comments to the media tonight.
He said an MRI a year or two ago revealed two degenerative discs. He doesn't think it has gotten to the point where they are bulging. He doubts he will make his next start. He has an MRI scheduled for Monday, and they'll compare that MRI to the previous one.
This isn't something that a shot will fix. Oswalt said he has already had a lot of shots, and any more there is a risk of "stuff breaking off."
"At this point, I'm not really helping the team," he said. "I'm more of a liability more than anything. See where I'm at, and if it is something i have to get fixed, I have to get it fixed. Just see where it's at. I don't know."
Hard to leave tonight's game?
"I really wasn't productive," he said. "I was more heaving the ball than throwing the ball. Tried to get out of a jam. Had one guy strike out, and couldn't get the ball far enough in on Theriot. See what it looks like Monday. I don't think it's doing no good to keep going out there and not really doing too much, going six innings at a time. I tried to stay in there as long as I could, but you can only pitch if you don't have any pain.
Is surgery an option?
"I don't know. It hasn't gotten to the point where it has bulged yet, I don't think. Hopefully not. That's doctor stuff. They know more about it than I do. Just see where I'm at."
Take a cortisone shot?
"You only get so many shots. After you get so many of them, stuff starts breaking off, so, I don't want that to happen."
Is he frightened about his career?
"Just like I said before, you throw as long as you can throw, and when you can't throw no more, you can't throw no more. I'm going to keep throwing as long as I can, and hopefully it's not gotten to the point where I can't throw no more. But if it's gotten to that point, you just have to accept it."
When does he feel it?
"I feel it when I sit down and I stand up, when I walk, pitch, sleep."
Does he think about what this means for his career?
"I've had a pretty good one (laughs). I don't know. I'm going to do what's best for the team. If I can't pitch, I can't pitch. I'm not going to keep going out there and being a liability for the bullpen to pick me up. If it's gotten to that point, it's gotten to that point. We'll just see what the doctor says on the MRI and go from there."
And, finally, somebody asked him why he continued to pitch through the pain if it hurts him at all times.
Oswalt thought for a second, then said, "I don't want to be labeled as a quitter."
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whoa! knew there had to be something wrong but this sounds really bad— mph161- Stick a fork in him....he's done.— scootch
- I'm sorry, I have a hard time believing the decision makers for the organization did not know Oswalt was hurt THIS bad until now.
His velocity has been down ever since he was activated from the DL. Yet no one could connect the dots?— PhightinPhil - The warrior code runs deep in Oswalt. You have our support from the frontlines. Hooah!— lonewolf 10
I give him a 10 for his heart, and a 1 for his brain. Smh- WHAT. The. HELL!— RhondaBillings
- WHAT. The. HELL!— RhondaBillings
- Don't worry, Roy, you won't be labeled a quitter. You will, however, be labeled as selfish and stubborn.— PhightinPhil
- Fire Andy Reid.— Philly Fan in Kuwait
- it makes sense. He looks like he's dying on every pitch. I was shocked he did so well last year when the Phillies got him. He just looks like he's on his last legs everytime he pitches, even when he does well it's like he has to gut everything out at maximum effort as opposed to Hamels or Halladay who can cruise through a game a lot of times. Then listen to Oswalt talk and he talks like any game can be his last and he's always talking about when he retires. Now it all makes sense. Rest him and see what he can give you in September. Looks like they just freed up Hamels arbitration money for next season as there's no way they are picking Oswalt's option up for next year.— Sewellmatt
- and then there were three— franknbeans
- sounds like he is going on the DL to me...done? I sure hope not...— danielboyer
- A few weeks back Manuel said he really didn't know during a game if Gload could run. Now they send out a guy whose back is so bad he can't sleep? Sounds like that great communication the manager has with the players ain't so great.— VicM
So I wonder what Halladay's excuse is when he gets into a jam? If only Halladay had half the guts that Oswalt had......- Nothing surprising here, and nothing to blame him for. He's a fighter, who pitches through little aches, and medium sized aches, and even big aches, until he just can't do it anymore, which is why he has had a great career. Here's hoping the miracles of modern sports medicine can get him back by Fall.— altoonaaslan
