R.A. Dickey has been battling back problems this year, and while he has been pitching through the discomfort to this point, the Toronto Blue Jays knuckleballer said in a recent interview that he wouldn’t be able to avoid the disabled list if he were a conventional pitcher.
“I’d be out. There would be no way. I couldn’t pitch,” he told Eno Sarris of FanGraphs.
Dickey explained that he was sidelined for more than a month after sustaining a similar injury with the 2004 Texas Rangers. He has avoided the disabled list so far in 2013, but his numbers have dropped off.
In 14 starts with the Blue Jays, the 38-year-old has a 5.11 ERA with 64 strikeouts and 35 walks in 88 innings.
He told Sarris that he now feels discomfort in his upper back when he extends fully. This has led to mechanical changes that limit Dickey’s velocity and, potentially, his effectiveness.
Dickey said he started the year “not healthy” but has recently felt better than he has all year. Even if he’s not at full strength he believes he can contribute. A stint on the disabled list wouldn’t be the answer.
“Because I can still muster through six or seven innings,” Dickey said. “Even though I haven’t had my best knuckleball, I still have seven or eight quality starts. So I can still give something. Just a matter of not being as dominant as I was because I’m missing a weapon or two. It’s feeling better, though, this last week.”
Dickey brushed aside questions about his age, suggesting that success at the MLB level is partly a matter of pitching through discomfort.
“I don’t know if it reminds me of my age, as I look to my left and right, I see far younger players on the DL for far lesser things.”
“You have to be able to take the ball when you’re not feeling great,” Dickey continued. “The guys that can’t really pitch unless they are 100% that don’t ever get to those milestones. Do I feel old? Not really. Am I old?”
The knuckleballer said he felt good entering spring training then got interrupted while preparing for the World Baseball Classic. He added that the cold weather may also have contributed to his struggles.
Blue Jays starters Josh Johnson, Brandon Morrow, J.A. Happ and Ramon Ortiz have required stints on the disabled list this year. As a group the Toronto rotation has combined for a 5.33 ERA — worst among the 30 MLB teams.