TUCSON — From cheating to hurting, Alex Rodriguez has provided baseball with a daily soap opera this spring. The drama has played out from Tampa, Fla., to Vail, where the New York Yankees’ third baseman will undergo hip surgery today. He will be out six to nine weeks.
Dr. Marc Philippon, a renowned specialist, will perform the operation at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic. He predicted Rodriguez would have an “85 to 90 percent” chance of playing through the rest of the regular season with the repaired labrum before a more complicated procedure is required.
“I firmly believe this approach will be successful and allow Alex to return,” Philippon said on a conference call. “We’ve had very good success with this. Short term, we feel the risk is very limited that he will retear this labrum during that six-, seven-month period.”
Rodriguez, who is in the second season of a 10-year, $275 million contract, will spend the next two weeks in Vail so doctors can monitor his recovery. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is targeting “sometime in May” for Rodriguez’s return.
Given the negative publicity surrounding Rodriguez, Rockies players were asked if baseball was better off without him for a while.
“I wouldn’t say that. He’s such a presence, such a great player,” said catcher Sal Fasano, who played against Rodriguez in the American League East last season. “But if Babe Ruth can be replaced, everyone can be.”
Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who missed significant time to injury last season, believes Rodriguez will benefit from the time away.
“Maybe he can finally sit back and relax, clear his head,” Tulowitzki said. “The pressure is off. And who knows? Maybe baseball and the fans will miss him.”
