A-Rod to Have Surgery in Mid-January

Alex Rodriguez's hip surgery is set for January - the assumption is to build up some muscle prior to surgery - and is committed to coming back strong.

'I am fully committed to a very hard road back,'' Rodriguez said. ''We've done it before in '09 and it was a great result, both on a personal level and on a team level, more importantly. I take it as a great challenge and I'm excited for the challenge.''  

''Don't count us out,'' Rodriguez said. ''We are the New York Yankees.'' 

Onward and upward.