Projo Sox Blog

BY JOE McDONALD
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- J.D. Drew is frustrated and fed up with the fact that he's only been able to play three innings of baseball in over a month due to a herniated disk in his back.

Every day there's an update, and every day it's the same.

Drew said he's stiff when he wakes up, stiff when he gets out of the car, but he's been able to work out a little bit, while keeping his baseball activities to a minimum. He was able to hit in the cage on Friday and planned on doing the same thing Saturday.

The Red Sox begin the postseason on Wednesday in Anaheim against the Angels and Drew doesn't know if he'll be able to play.

"We're trying to get to a point to make a decision," Drew said. "I'm doing everything I can to get myself into shape. Maybe I can participate (in the postseason), but if it doesn't get any better, it's definitely a scratch and then we've got three or four months to let it get better.

"We're trying to get to a point where I'm on the roster, but I can't in good conscience say 'I'm ready to go' and then leave [manager Terry Francona] stranded after playing one game and not being able to walk the next day.

"Everybody is concerned, especially myself. I played three innings [Wednesday] and I didn't feel great, but I got through it and felt decent when I left the game. I thought I would be ready [to play on Friday] but I was stiff."

He attempted to run sprints Friday afternoon and that's when things went astray.

"I came in and did some treatment," he said. "That set off [the Red Sox' medical staff] wanting to do some scans to make sure nothing was going on internally."

Drew is examined on a continuing basis and now he's at a point where he's been doing his own research.

He's been watching medical shows and reading about different back injuries, remedies and surgeries. He believes he won't need a procedure to fix his injury. He also can't figure out why he's been having so much trouble, especially since some back injuries are hereditary and both his parents have never had problems.

 Tags  J.D. Drew Red Sox

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