Scott Williamson sounded halfway between acceptance and denial Thursday, less than 24 hours after learning he would need season-ending surgery on a torn ligament in his right elbow.

        “Mentally, it's hard to believe my season's over,” said Williamson, who was too distraught to speak to reporters Wednesday. “... I watched a lot of guys fall around me. I never thought it was going to happen to me. Right now it's really hard to say, "Hey, (I'm) out for the season.' Especially when my arm feels fine. I think that's the toughest thing is for me right now, that I could walk out there, pick up a ball and throw it.”

        Williamson doesn't expect to receive any remarkable results when he undergoes further examinations for a second opinion at the behest of his agent, Jeff Moorad. Williamson said he'll probably see doctors in California sometime next week.

        Noted orthopedist Dr. James Andrews, who probably will operate on Williamson, has concurred with the findings of the Reds medical staff after seeing results of his MRI examination.

        “Obviously, you're hoping it's a foul-up. But (Dr. Tim) Kremchek's one of the best in the nation,” said Williamson, referring to the Reds' team physician. “If he says it's torn, it's probably torn.”

        Williamson's feelings again brushed both extremes when he addressed his reputation as a pitcher whose maximum-effort delivery would cause arm problems eventually.

        He was both defiant (“I think you could sit there and tell every pitcher who picks up a ball, "That guy's going to have arm problems.' ... Eventually, something's going to happen”) and humble (“I've had to prove people wrong all my life. Everybody said, "Hey, he's going to blow out,' and now I have. It's kind of a letdown, in a way.”).

        Though Williamson said the injury didn't occur “on one pitch or anything like that,” he added that the full-count fastball he threw Tuesday night to Adrian Brown that missed badly for ball four might have been suspect.

        Williamson also refused to attribute his injury, which is technically a torn ulnar collateral ligament, to switching between starting and relieving during his professional career. “You can't pinpoint it on anything,” said Williamson, the 1999 National League Rookie of the Year as a reliever.

        Thursday morning, Williamson sought comfort by chatting with his teammates.

        “We're all going to stick behind him and do whatever we can do for him,” relief ace Danny Graves said. “I think if we seem really down about it, it'll make Willie feel worse. We have to do everything we can to keep his spirits up.”

        Significantly, Williamson sought counsel from reliever Mark Wohlers, who underwent the same extensive “Tommy John” surgical procedure Williamson will endure.

        “Patience, patience, patience,” said Wohlers, summarizing his advice to Williamson. “I told him not to worry about his career but just understand that there's a lot of work that goes into rehab. It gets old quickly.”

Reds 4, Pirates 1 Williamson: 'Hard to believe my season's over' Griffey out 5-7 more days Bowden has eye for Ramon Reds help Brewers open Miller Park Reds-Brewers Scouting Report Reds box, runs

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