Report: Surgery 'Strong Possibility' for Diamondbacks Ace Brandon Webb

If you've been following the travails of 2006 National League Cy Young winner Brandon Webb this season, the following news won't come as much of a shock. The Diamondbacks are strongly considering surgery as an option for the ace -- sidelined since Opening Day with a right shoulder injury -- after an MRI and a meeting with the team physician Tuesday, according to a report in the Arizona Republic.

Webb has been on the disabled list since April 7 with what the team has called shoulder bursitis, but he's experienced setback after setback in his attempts to return to the mound, most recently canceling a scheduled bullpen session at the end of last week because of pain in the area.

Now the team is hinting that Webb may have a torn labrum -- arguably the most ominous injury any pitcher can have -- while it waits for a second opinion on his shoulder. The injury that would require a surgical procedure and nine months of rehab, according to Nick Piecoro of the Republic.

"We met and discussed options," general manager Josh Byrnes said. "Everyone wants to be sure he takes the right course of action."

It's been an abysmal couple of months for the Diamondbacks in 2009, and Webb's injury has to top the list of reasons why. Arizona entered play Wednesday night at 30-41, 17 games behind the division-leading Dodgers.

Shoulder surgery is a frightening prospect for any pitcher, but even if Webb could come back and be reasonably effective, he'd probably do very little to change the fortunes of the D'backs in 2009. Even that is an awfully big assumption, and it doesn't take into account any possible further damage he could do to his shoulder in a comeback attempt.

On the other hand, if Webb had surgery soon, he would, theoretically at least, be in line to get back on a mound for spring training in 2010.