LOS ANGELES -- Giants right-hander Sergio Romo said Sunday that he'll try to approach his stint on the disabled list as "another month of Spring Training" that will enable him to regain complete health before he resumes pitching.
Romo, 33, has a strained flexor tendon in his throwing elbow, which he attributed to "wear and tear." Though Romo has made at least 64 appearances for six consecutive seasons, he and the Giants' training staff have constantly monitored his physical condition, due to the stress he places on his 5-foot-11, 185-pound frame.
Romo has endured previous trouble with the same elbow, going on the 15-day DL in August 2011 with inflammation. This time, he'll need more than a couple of weeks to recover. He won't throw for about another 10 days, at which point he'll be re-examined and evaluated to determine the course of his treatment.
"This time I just need a little bit more of a break," Romo said. "... It's almost like I get another month of Spring Training, since it's so early in the season. I have to make sure I give myself the best opportunity to feel right."
Though Romo conceivably must perform up to his typical standards to strengthen his bargaining position in free agency, he insisted that he's not dwelling on what could happen when he hits the open market at the start of the offseason.
"I'm not trippin' off of that," said Romo, whose two-year, $15 million deal expires with the end of this season. "... We're in April still. I know I'll be healthy."