Tampa Bay’s Rocco Baldelli, fielding a ball during spring training, is going on the disabled list because of a serious medical condition.

AP / Al Behrman

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Rocco Baldelli has decided to put his baseball career on hold in order to concentrate on his health.

In Tampa, two hours north from the Red Sox spring training facility, Baldelli broke his silence and discussed in detail his serious health issue that has kept him sidelined for much of the last two-plus seasons. The Rhode Island native, and center fielder for the Tampa Bay Rays, decided it was time to reveal that he has metabolic and/or mitochondrial abnormalities, which cause severe fatigue and muscle cramping.

After dismissing rumors about him having multiple sclerosis or a rare blood disorder, and denying that he was a steroids user, in an interview with The Journal last Saturday, Baldelli decided to discuss his health issues publicly in an attempt to stop all the speculation. He met with the Tampa-area media yesterday morning, and spoke with The Journal via a phone interview yesterday afternoon.

He will be placed on the disabled list indefinitely and he said he’ll stay on the DL until something changes, or he learns something new.

Baldelli said that his body is not producing the chemical ATP (adenosine triphosphate), causing his muscles to not work properly or recover as they should for a physically active human. It’s common in the competitive sports world that athletes build up so much of this chemical — or lactic acid in laymen’s terms — during workouts that they must burn it off or fatigue will set in. That’s what is happening to Baldelli.

When asked if this was a life-threatening issue, Baldelli was cautious with his answer but believes that it is not.

“It’s difficult for me to comment on that,” he said. “I’m not worried about it being extremely serious and I don’t like to use the term [life threatening]. Doctors are fairly certain this is not serious to that point. It’s a problem, a serious problem, but not something I’m worried about.”

He visited numerous doctors around the country during the offseason searching for answers. He wanted to know the stem of his medical problems because he knew something was wrong.

“My muscles weren’t functioning like they were supposed to,” he said. “I was pulling muscles and having cramps, and I wanted to figure out where this general feeling was coming from.”

He’s had every possible test, and still doesn’t know if this problem with go away.

“I still don’t have a specific diagnosis, I wish I did because I would feel better knowing exactly what it is,” he said.

After numerous extended stays on the DL with recurring hamstring injuries, which date back to early 2006, Baldelli finally realized last May 15 that there was something seriously wrong. He was limited to just 35 games where he hit .204 in 137 at-bats with 5 homers, 6 doubles and 12 RBI. During his summer-long rehab he attempted to play in a couple of minor-league games, but quickly suffered a setback and never returned to the Rays’ lineup.

That’s when he decided to search for answers.

The biggest issue the 26-year-old has with his legs, specifically his hamstrings, is they tighten up, then cramp, and the muscles aren’t able to recover to a point where he’s able to play every day. During a recent BP session at the Rays’ spring training facility last weekend, it was clear he was having trouble getting off the ground after stretching his groin.

He’s a very private person and decided it would be best to keep his health a personal matter. When discussing the situation yesterday, he literally breathed a sigh of relief, knowing the private burden was lifted. He actually feels relieved now that he has openly talked about it.

“When I wake up tomorrow I’m going to feel a lot better than I did today,” he said. “It’s been difficult for me not knowing what the problem is, and having to hear other people speculate. That was frustrating. … It’s causing me fatigue and muscle cramps to a point where I can’t function as a ballplayer, so I’ve decided to put my health No. 1 and step back.”

Because of the injuries, he has been limited to 127 games in the last three season, and even though now he has decided to put his career on hold he has no plans on retiring. He said he will do everything in his power to return to the game he loves. His contract expires at the end of the 2008 season, but the club has an option for 2009. He said he’s not even worried about that right now.

“As far as what I have going on,” he said, “I’m not even worried about that. I don’t know necessarily what I’m going to be doing as a player right now. I don’t know what my function is going to be whether I’m going to be working out [in Tampa] or back at home. The only thing I’m going to be worried about this season is trying to figure out what’s going on health-wise, and that’s all I’m worried about.

“It helps when my team, everyone from the manager [Joe Maddon] to the training staff to everyone on the club, is behind me and trying to help me health-wise. They have put everything else aside and said this is their No. 1 priority, which is very good for my sake.”

jmcdonal@projo.com