"None of this makes me bitter or angry. It is what it is. In that sense, honestly, it's very, very easy for me, because of what I've been able to experience compared to what I wanted when I first started my career. But if I have some say in how this is going to end, I want it to be different than what it is right now."
While Schilling had been progressing in his comeback, reaching the point where he was throwing bullpen sessions, there was an ominous sign Tuesday. Manager Terry Francona said Schilling had reached a "plateau" during a frustrating week. After a "painful" session June 13 in Cincinnati, according to Schilling, his throwing was shut down and he returned to Boston to be examined by team medical director Thomas Gill. Dr. Craig Morgan, who has operated on Schilling's shoulder in the past, also examined him Monday.
Morgan will perform the surgery, tentatively scheduled for Monday at 1 p.m. in Wilmington, Del. The procedure will be biceps tenodesis surgery, in which the diseased biceps tendon is detached from the bone and reattached in another location. Morgan will also determine, via arthroscopic examination, whether there are other issues with the shoul der, including potential damage to the labrum and rotator cuff. If that is the case, it is even less likely Schilling could resume his career.
"The key issue there is frankly the rotator cuff," Morgan said. "If he does not have significant rotator cuff involvement, there's a good chance, even at age 41, that he can come back and pitch. But he must accept the fact that this may be career-ending."
If the biceps tendon is the sole problem, Schilling could be throwing again in four months, and could be ready to take the mound again in six, Morgan said, emphasizing the time periods were only estimates. But if there's rotator cuff damage, the rehab could extend to 10 months.
Last offseason, Schilling and the Red Sox had disagreed over treatment methods. When Schilling felt discomfort in the shoulder in January, Gill examined him, prescribing rehab rather than surgery. But Morgan wanted to perform surgery then in hopes of saving Schilling's career. Morgan said he thought rehabilitation without surgery would be unsuccessful.
