The Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO - Giants closer Robb Nen is trying something new in an effort to solve his troublesome right shoulder: an extended period of rest.

Nen is headed home to Southern California for a month off from throwing and rehabilitation. He will be re-evaluated after that.

The pitcher fought tears in the dugout when he and team trainer Stan Conte made the announcement before San Francisco played the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.

Nen recently took 10 days off and went home, a time designated both as a mental break and a chance to rest his shoulder, but he still felt pain while playing catch three times this week.

"What we have not tried is prolonged rest," Conte said. "We've put it in the hands of the orthopedic surgeons and of rehab people, but this is the first time since 2002 we've given it some rest. After 30 days, we'll have a clear slate again. We have all kinds of possibilities of where we can go after that. We'll let Mother Nature take its course."

Nen, a three-time All-Star who had had 43 saves and a 2.20 ERA in 2002, is trying to recover from three shoulder operations that caused him to miss the entire 2003 season. He hasn't thrown off a mound since late last month.

But the 34-year-old Nen is not ready to call it quits just yet.

"It's just a passion for the game and wanting to go out and play - until my body tells me I can't do it anymore," he said of what keeps him going.

Nen's rotator cuff is torn - perhaps as much as 75 percent - but a surgery to completely repair it has a very low success rate, Conte said.

"Right now I don't think there's a surgical solution," Conte said.

Nen never expected things to come to this. The Giants planned on his being ready to pitch by opening day.

"I don't know if it's a step back," Nen said. "It's just something we haven't tried yet."