A-Rod Is A Pain in the A..Hip

I'm a little late to the party with this one, but things have been a little crazy the last couple of days. So just when you thought it was safe to get back on the left side of the infield Alex Rodriguez has joined Derek Jeter on the "Damn that hurts like hell" list.

A-Rod who had surgery for a torn labrum in his right hip prior to the 2009 season, will miss a good chunk of the upcoming season after he undergoes similar surgery on his left hip. Additionally. A-Rod will have a cyst removed and a bone impingement corrected.

Prior to the surgery, A-Rod will undergo a four to six week strengthening program on the hip. He's then expected to miss four to six months. The injury could explain A-Rod's less than stellar performance in the 2012 playoffs, and in fact A-Rod complained to Joe Girardi about his right hip bothering him and thought it was affecting his play.  A-Rod got a clean bill of healthfor the his previously surgically repaired leg checked, but the same could not be said for his left hip.

It would appear that the Yankees kept things quiet so they could obtain another infielder without overpaying a free agent or giving up too much in a trade. The thing that Yankees fans would really like to know though is why the surgery wasn't already performed.

A-Rod's injury may also be the reason the Yankees weren't willing to match or better the Pittsburgh Pirates contract offer to catcher Russell Martin. Rodriguez returned on May 8 after his 2009 surgery and homered off the first pitch he saw from Baltimore's Jeremy Guthrie. Cody Ransom held down the fort until A-Rod's return and did not stand out. With a much longer absence expected this time, GM Brian Cashman will need to find a better alternative than a Ransom-type player and it could be somewhat costly -translation, no extra cash for Martin.

Word is the Yankees are taking to free agent Kevin Youkilis, who spent 8 1/2 years with the Boston Red Sox before a trade to the Chicago White Sox at the 2012 trade deadline. Youkilis is hated by most Yankees fans, but if he were to come to the Bronx and contribute, he could turn the fans in his favor just as Wade Boggs did over a decade ago. The only dilemma would be if Joba Chamberlain could avoid beaning him in the head during batting practice.

Youkilis was at his best from 2008-2010 when his OPS ranged from .958 to .971. The last two seasons have been injury plagued and much less productive. He did show improvement when he joined Chicago and produced 15 HR and 46 RBI in 80 games. Youkilis would also be able back up to Mark Teixeira at first base.