NEW YORK -- Mets closer Bobby Parnell (neck) saw the doctor on Monday and is progressing, but he's yet to decide whether he wants to undergo surgery to repair the herniated disc in his neck, he told ESPNNewYork.com.
Parnell said he has scattered doctor appointments within the next two weeks, and hopes to decide in that time span about undergoing surgery.
The closer said the worry with not having surgery is the disc popping out again, but he also acknowledged that he'd like to avoid an operation.
"If I do have surgery, what's the rehab length? Am I ready for spring training? My goal is to be ready for spring training. Am I 100 percent? Do I lose range of motion that will affect me pitching?
"It's an invasive surgery, it goes through a lot of nerves and stuff like that. You don't want to have surgery if you can."
The closer has been on the disabled list since Aug. 6, and last pitched on July 30. He said last Wednesday that he was doing strengthening exercises while making sure that he kept pressure off his neck. He hasn't started baseball activities.
Parnell previously said he's pushing to get back this season, but he wants to make sure he doesn't compromise his future by rushing back. He believes his rehab process would be approximately four-to-five months if he underwent surgery, and that's one of the questions he wants to clear up.
