Phillies' Moyer back in hospital for 'evaluation'

Jamie Moyer is expected to spend a few days at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital as doctors attempt to pinpoint the cause of renewed pain in the Phillies lefthander's surgically repaired groin/lower abdomen.

Here's team doctor Michael Ciccotti on the situation, which he says should not at this point prevent Moyer, 47, from returning for the start of spring training.

"As you know, 7 weeks ago Jamie had a sports hernia repair by Dr. Bill Myers, who is a national expert," Ciccotti said. "And he had it done at Hahnemann University, where Dr. Myers is, and everything went very well.

"And maybe since the weekend he started to have some increasing discomfort, some symptoms, and that prompted us to have him come to Philadelphia to be evaluated. He saw Bill Myers. Our feeling was we would have him admitted to Thomas Jefferson.

"We're in the midst of evaluating him. He's very comfortable. He's walking. He's up. He's doing his normal routine. And we're in the midst of evaluting him and treating him for this increase in pain. He's getting some tests, an MRI.

"We'll be monitoring him over the next several days. He's continuing to exercise as his comfort allows. That's really where we're at right now. His recurrent discomfort or pain is what prompted him to be evaluated and to come up here to be seen by Dr. Myers, who has done the surgery, so he could get a better perspective on it." *

- David Murphy,

on his High Cheese blog