Arroyo limited on and off the field by carpal tunnel flare-up

SARASOTA, Fla. -- No guitar strumming for Bronson Arroyo these days. No autograph signing, either. Pitching? He's still doing that, but the results weren't good the last couple times out.

His right hand has become a worry.

The Cincinnati Reds' musically inclined pitcher is having a flare-up of the carpal tunnel syndrome that has bothered him from time to time over the past few years. This bout is especially nasty, along with the timing. The season starts in less than one week.

"I don't know what it's from, man," Arroyo said in an interview with the Associated Press. "I can't write. I can't do anything with my pointer finger and thumb without it being irritated. I had it back in '04 in the playoffs [with Boston] pitching against the Yankees. I've had it for years."

So far, Arroyo has been able to overcome the problem, which bothers him much more when he holds a pen or a guitar pick. It returned last May and gave him problems for about three months. Arroyo finished 15-11 with a 4.77 ERA last season, when he was the only Reds pitcher who didn't miss a start. He led the staff with 200 innings.

The right-hander can pitch with the problem. He would rather not have to try.

Arroyo hasn't done very well in his last two starts during spring training. He gave up 11 hits in five innings of a game against minor leaguers on March 24, and was pounded for 14 hits and 10 runs -- three earned -- in only 4 2/3 innings against Tampa Bay on Sunday.

The Rays took advantage of his inability to throw a breaking ball, something he passed off as just a bad day. There's more to it, though.

Asked if the carpal tunnel bothers his hand when he's pitching, Arroyo said, "Yeah. It's almost like taking a 220 [volt] line of electricity and pinching it off and you're only getting about two-thirds of it. You feel like you don't have much power, and you don't have much command. So I've got about another week to try to get it out of there. We'll see."

The problem has forced him to make changes in his lifestyle.

Arroyo said it's so difficult to squeeze a pen that he's having teammates pay his bills for him. He has to turn down all autograph requests from fans at games -- writing his name on a baseball or a piece of paper is too bothersome.

"I've been having guys write stuff for me," he said. "They're paying my bills. I can't write."

The biggest change involves his second love. Arroyo rarely goes a day without playing his guitar. He does numerous concerts in the offseason, playing lead guitar and singing in a band. On road trips, there's usually a melody coming from his room.