March 15--REPORTING FROM TEMPE, Ariz. -- The frustration was evident in Jered Weaver's voice. His fastball is slipping away, his neck is creaky and doctors have told him there is not much they can do.
"I almost wish they would tell me I need surgery," Weaver said.
Weaver, 33, the Angels' ace for a decade, has not pitched in a week. When he last pitched, his fastball averaged 79 mph. The Angels scratched him from his next start and sent him to a spine specialist; the team said Weaver was diagnosed with degenerative changes in his cervical spine.
Weaver said he has a "bulging disk" on his left side, a condition that he said triggers irritation more than pain, and sometimes a "sensation" in his left arm. He also said that he was told the condition is not connected to the loss of velocity and that he can pitch as long as he can tolerate the irritation.
There are no more tests to be done, Weaver said, and no more doctors to see.
"Dr. Weaver is the one that is going to take it from here on out," he said.
Asked whether he could pitch effectively with the neck condition, Weaver said, "I'm pitching Saturday."
He said he has no intention of starting the season on the disabled list, although he added that Manager Mike Scioscia could decide otherwise.
"If he gives me the ball, I'll pitch," Weaver said. "I'll be ready to take the ball in the opening series."
Scioscia would not commit to including Weaver on the Opening Day roster, or even to starting him in Saturday's Cactus League game. Scioscia said the Angels first want to evaluate Weaver during a bullpen session Wednesday.
However, Scioscia said, he remains confident in Weaver's resilience, determination and competitiveness.
"That's part of what makes him go out there and pitch really good baseball with stuff that might be a little down," Scioscia said. "He's always been able to adapt."
Weaver has no intention of walking away now.
"I've got a lot of people to prove wrong," he said.
The Angels are paying him $20 million this year, the last in his five-year contract.
"I'll be back at some point," he said. "You can quote me on that."
UPDATES
10:55 a.m. -- This story has been updated with comments from Angels Manager Mike Scioscia.
Twitter: @BillShaikin
