Scott can rely on teammates for the decision about his shoulder

As I wrote earlier, Luke Scott plans to play the next three to five days and if things don't improve with the torn labrum in his right shoulder, he will possibly shut himself down for the season. At that point, he could opt to have surgery or go through a rehab process to heal the shoulder. He knows the clock is ticking, because whichever decision he would make, he needs time to get his shoulder fully healed before the 2012 season starts. "Yeah. At the same time, it's pointless if I am up here and doing the way I've done the last month," Scott said. "It is not helping the team. At the end of the day, you have to make an honest evaluation. My heart is in it and my desire and work ethic is there, but if something is broke it needs to be fixed. The competitor in me wants to overcome it but, this is kind of like the last exercise of an option. Need to see if I can perform at this level or start thinking about the future. "I've hard a hard time getting the (bat) head out in batting practice. If you are struggling there, how are you going to get the head out with 95 and power sinkers and cutters that they throw in the major leagues. I want to win and help my team, if I am capable of doing that." He added that he is compiling a lot of information on the rehab and surgery options for his shoulder and that he has some teammates that have passed along info on their experiences. "Looking at both options. This is not like Tommy John surgery, that is pretty much a guarantee. With a shoulder, it is different," he said. "Some guys take to surgery well and some guys don't. Jason Berken opted for rehab and he said his arm has never felt better and he had a slap tear, just like I've got. "J.J. (Hardy) had surgery (in 2004) and his experience was not good. He said he was told he'd be ready to play in six months and he was back then but he wasn't himself for a year and a half. That's a big deal, think about that. If I choose surgery, what are the pluses and minuses. You may not be back to yourself in six months. "There is a lot of information I have to take in and process. I will definitely get a second opinion on the degree of the tear. What are the chances of it (surgery) taking and then make the best decision possible." Scott has been trying to avoid surgery, but now knows that may not be possible. "I still want to avoid surgery at all costs, but if I get a second opinion and both doctors explain to me (surgery would be best) than the odds tend to shift toward surgery even if I want to avoid it at all costs. Surgery could win out. Then I have to decide who will do it. I've been going through a lot of scenarios in my head and getting just as much information as I can. "I did a good job with Double-A pitching, now let's see what I can do here. I want to hit more happy homers and have fun, but it's time to get some closure to this thing," he said as he headed off to batting practice.