Tagged: Mark Teahan

Rodriguez Elects to Have Surgery


alex-rodriguez.jpg            Alex Rodriguez has elected to have a basic hip operation that will only cost him 6-9 weeks, as opposed to the more complex surgery that could have cost him up to four months which he has put off until the offseason. 

Dr. Marc Philippon will be the operating surgeon and says that there is an 85-90 percent chance the surgery will hold for the entire season.  He also said that he thinks it’s more likely he’ll be back in six weeks rather than nine.

The Yankees, who are currently in the second year of a 10-year deal paying him 275+ million dollars, reportedly have an insurance policy in the event of him going to the disabled list.  It is unknown if this is actually true or how much money the Yankees would get back, but it is worth noting.

I think the surgery is the right call.  With at least 247 million dollars yet to be paid to him you have to be cautious.  Getting screwed here is the worst possible thing that could happen.  He absolutely needs to get back to full strength.

Fox Sport’s Ken Rosenthal wrote that he could be starting to age and that this may be the inevitable breakdown all players must one day face.  I wouldn’t go as far as saying that yet but it really makes you wonder how he will come back.

An expensive transaction like trading for Scott Rolen and undertaking his contract would be an utterly irrational move.  He could be back by the end of April and the Yankees can live without him for a month.  If it was half a season then I agree that it would be time to panic, but Cody Ransom can get the job done for a few weeks.  A quick fix like signing Mark Grudzielanek or trading for a Mark Teahan or Bobby Crosby would make sense.  Upon A-Rod’s return it wouldn’t hurt to have an experienced utility man and they’d still get a decent amount of playing time as he gets used to playing everyday again.

The decision allows Rodriguez to nurse himself back to health while at the same time leaving New York contenders in the AL East.  Alex and the Yankees made the right move for both of their short and long term futures.

More A-Rod News From Tampa


alex-rodriguez-stretching.jpgAlex Rodriguez has a torn labrum and a cyst on his right hip.  It may require surgery and would effectively knock him out of the World Baseball Classic and the Yankees line-up until May or possibly as late as the All-Star break.  The ladder would cost New York 88 games without its premier slugger.  With things as close as they are in the AL East, they’d take a step back behind the Rays and Red Sox. 

Jayson Stark speculated on Sportscenter earlier that they could take a look at Bobby Crosby or Mark Teahan.  If the injury worsens over the season then players like Adrian Beltre or Garrett Atkins could get some looks as well, but nothing is close.

You could have a worse back-up than Cody Ransom, but that’s exactly what he is, a backup.  He’s a 33-year old utility player with all of 183 at-bats (.251/.348/.432) in the majors since 2001 while also spending time with the Giants and Astros.

A report was just released that he will have his hip drained and that he is going to try to play through it and rejoin the team.  He is still out of the WBC.  Hopefully for him and the Yankees he can get back right away and continue to prove that he can produce while playing clean to try to clean up his image before it is forever tarnished, though it may be too late.