When Dustin Pedroia visited his orthopedist Tuesday, he didn’t get the advice he wanted, but the advice he needed.
"Slow down," said Dr. Lewis Yocum. Pedroia hasn’t done anything to set back his injury yet, and he’s still on schedule to get back on the field faster than expected, but that could all change if Pedroia doesn’t take it easy.
"It kind of scared me a little bit," said Pedroia. "There’s nothing really I can do. It’s just time it’s got to heal. He kind of told me I can’t play unless I feel no pain, which isn’t good. He did say that when I do my next CT-scan, we’ll be able to tell a lot more. Hopefully that’s good. … Where I broke it, I didn’t realize how serious it was and how long it was going to take.
For Pedroia, who had missed only 40 games between his first three seasons, this represents a new kind of injury. Whereas past aches and pains could be played through, taking that approach with his broken foot could not only knock Pedroia out for another six weeks, but could even effect his ability to play next season.
I thought I could play, that if I feel hurt, you can just play through it. You really can’t do that with this injury. That’s hard to deal with. That bone will break off, then they would have to put pins in it. It would be a disaster. It could go into the offseason and then maybe next year,
As much as the Red Sox miss Pedroia’s bat and glove, they’d much rather miss him for another two weeks than another two months. And despite what may be a setback in his mind, Pedroia is still positive and ready to return as soon as the doctor gives the go ahead.
"I want to get back more than anyone in the world and play, but I don’t want to do anything stupid where I can never play again. I’ve got to lay out rockets, man."
. . .
"Everything looks great. I’m ahead of schedule. It’s just my schedule and their schedule were a little different," said Pedroia. "I don’t really know how long it’s going to be. They said six weeks at the start, but I have yet to meet somebody who has come back in six weeks from this injury. I’m trying as hard as I can to do that."