CSN: Red Sox's Ortiz still days from return

BOSTON ? Sox manager Bobby Valentine said that David Ortiz had his first pain-free day since aggravating an Achilles tendon injury in his left foot.

?Yesterday?s batting practice was great, but he was still a little hesitant to run, jump or move quickly. He said today when he woke up it was the first day he had no pain walking,? said Valentine. ?He was going to do some agility work out in the field that?s been moved to the exercise room. It will be light work, but they say he?s getting closer.?

The version from the designated hitter was a little bit different with a bit more pain and discomfort involved ? which means it?s likely a few more days before Big Papi is ready for a return.

The Sox skipper said Ortiz would have been outside doing some higher intensity activities after feeling better, the Sox designated hitter insisted that he still feels pain when he?s walking around. Until that subsides Ortiz said he?s still a few days from running, heading outside to test out the injury or closing in on a return from the 15-day disabled list.

He?s feeling better and the tendonitis is subsiding, but he?s not ready to unleash the beast quite yet.

?I feel better today than in days before, so hopefully I continue feeling better every day so I can go back to the fight,? said Ortiz, who is hitting .316 with 23 home runs and 58 RBIs before going down with injury.

Ortiz has been out over two weeks with a strained Achilles tendon after he injured it rounding second base on a home run ball, and the original hope was that he?d be ready for a return by this weekend?s series against his former team, the Minnesota Twins. But Ortiz said he?s not there yet despite taking a spirited batting practice turn at Fenway earlier this week.

Weight-bearing activities appear to be the issue for Ortiz.

?I?m not doing anything outside yet. I?ll be doing things outside probably in the next two or three days. The doctor checked me out today and found less tendonitis on my Achilles. That means it?s going away. That?s good,? said Ortiz. ?Once I am pain-free walking then I?ll start doing some running things.

?I?m not there yet, but it?s improving a lot.?

While it?s good news that Ortiz is finally feeling better while dealing with a notoriously slow-healing area, it also?sounds like he?s at least three or four days away according to the earliest of?recovery timetables.

Source: http://www.csnne.com/baseball-boston-redsox/redsox-talk/Ortiz-feeling-better-still-days-away-fro?blockID=749975&feedID=3352

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