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.

CC Tops

CC, how do I love thee,
Let me count the wins,
Thirteen at the All-Star break!

CC Sabathia knew he had to be at his best on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays own ace, James Shields, was toeing the rubber for the visiting team. All Sabathia did was go out and throw a complete game shutout in the Yankees 1-0 win.

Sabathia, who was named to the All-Star team on Sunday though he won't pitch in the game, was superb. He rared back in the 9th inning and blew a 98-mph fastball by Elliot Johnson to end the game. His 9th strikeout of the game improved Sabathia's record to 13-4 and lowered his ERA To 2.72. In his last four starts (31.2 IP), Sabathia is 4-0 with a 0.28 ERA (one earned run allowed), 42 strikeouts, and a 7:1 strikeout to walk ratio. Overall, the big man has won his last six starts and 10 of the last 11 times he's been on the mound.

Sabathia faced just two batters over the minimum as he got some help from his defense. Catcher Russell Martin threw out B.J. Upton and Sean Rodriguez on steal attempts and Andruw Jones doubled Upton off of first base on a fly out to right field.

The Yankees couldn't do much better off of Shields, who lowered his ERA to 2.33 despite the loss. The Rays gifted the Yankees a run in the 7th to break the scoreless tie. Robinson Cano led off the inning with a single and was nearly doubled off first when Jorge Posada flew out to shallow center. But Upton's throw sailed into the seats for a two base error. Rays manager Joe Maddon is never afraid to throw caution to the wind, but a two out decision in the inning cost the Rays the game.

Shields tried to pick Cano off of third base, but Sean Rodriguez was late to cover and Shield's throw sailed wide to allow Cano to score the game's lone run. The run proved to be enough for a Yankees team that had neither Alex Rodriguez or Nick Swisher in the lineup and managed just four hits on the day.

Notes

A-Rod will undergo knee surgery today on his slightly torn meniscus and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. He visited with specialist Dr. Lee Kaplan in Miami on Sunday and will follow Kaplan's recommendation to have the procedure done. Eduardo Nunez will get the majority of playing time while A-Rod is out. No word on who the Yankees will add to the roster in A-Rod's place, but that decision does not have to be made immediately with the the league at the All-Star break.

Speaking of All-Stars, reliever David Robertson has been added to the squad as a replacement. "Houdini" has had quite a year; he moved into the 8th inning set up role when Joba Chamberlain had Tommy John surgery and has struck out a remarkable 56 batters in 35.1 innings pitched (14.3 per nine innings).

Nick Swisher sat out his second straight game on Sunday with a strained quad, but hopes to be back in the lineup when play resumes on Thursday.

Some Thank You's for A-Rod

Dr. Marc Philipon and Kate Hudson.

A-Rod healthy and locked in.

Yankees won't be Held for Ransom

It remains to be seen whether Cody Ransom is indeed the temporary fix at third base while Alex Rodriguez convalesces. (George King of the Post has more on Ransom.) He's certainly going to get the chance based on the spring he's had thus far, but if turns out that A-Rod will miss much more time than the expected 6-9 weeks, Brian Cashman, despite public statements, will be looking elsewhere for someone to man the hot corner.

Let's take a look at who might be available if the Yankees feel a 33-yr old journeyman isn't their answer on the left side of the infield.

Mark Teahen
It's the name that has been thrown out there most often. Teahen came up as a third baseman, and has also played first base and right field. The 27-yr old has had an up and down four year career in the majors.

His rookie season was nothing to write home about it - .246-7-55 and a .685 OPS- but Teahen's sophomore year was a big improvement. A .290 average, 18 home runs, 69 RBI, and an .874 OPS gave Royals fans a player to hang their hopes on.

Teahen put up another good average .285 in year three, but his power suddenly dropped off - just 7 home runs in 2007. Of more of a concern, were a career high 127 strikeouts.

Last season was a combination of Teahen's entire career. The power returned- 15 home runs, but his average dipped back down to .255 and he had even more strikeouts, 131, than the prior year.

Teahen's career is at a crossroads right now. Is he an every day player or a high power/high strikeout guy platoon or bench player?

With Teahen making over $3.5 million a season, the Royals would like to move him.


Bobby Crosby
Crosby's career has been filled with injuries since he hit 22 home runs as a rookie 2004. He's only topped 100 games once (2008) in the ensuing four years. The A's brought in Orlando Cabrera to play shortstop this season, so Oakland is giving Crosby a look at third base, which serves two purposes.

Eric Chavez has a chronic bad back, so Crosby could see a lot of playing time at his new position. Billy Beane knows another position will also give Crosby more trade value. (Beane also knows in hindsight that he should never have signed Crosby to the long term deal that pays him $5.25 million in this final season of the deal.)

Crosby would come relatively cheap because of his salary, but do you need a high priced player, whose career batting average is .239? Ransom's career average is .251.


Chone Figgins
There have been rumors for several years now about the Angels looking to move Figgins. This could be the year though since Figgins is in the last year of his contract, and Brandon Wood has a chance to establish himself at third base. Then again it could be Woods that's moved, with Figgins signing a new deal.

Figgins would add speed to the team and also would give them a super utility player (2B, 3B, OF) if A-Rod returns to form at third base.


Chad Tracy
Another potential free agent, Tracy was relegated to a part-time role the last two seasons for Arizona after putting up solid numbers in 2004-5. He's a lifetime .804 OPS guy, who, like Teahen, would be replacing a right-handed bat with a left-handed one.

A big knock on Tracy though is the 25 errors he made in those two fine offensive seasons. That's the reason he sees significant time at first base now instead of third. Would the Yankees be willing to take a defensive hit for plus offense?

Melvin Mora
It's hard to imagine the Orioles helping out the Yankees, but Mora could bring some significant trade value to the O's. The 37-yr old is coming off the second best offensive season of his career (.285-23-104).

Mora is set to make $9 million this season and the O's have an option for next year, though the buyout is for only $1 million. A buyout the O's would likely take advantage of.

More would like to finish his career in Baltimore, but perhaps playing for a contender would sway him.


Blake DeWitt
The Dodgers second year player has been mentioned, because of being blocked at third base by Casey Blake, and at second base by Orlando Hudson.

The Yankees would have to give up a prospect of significance for DeWitt, who could still replace Hudson next season. And what do you do with DeWitt once A-Rod is healthy? Your only option would be to deal him or Robinson Cano, if Cano doesn't play to potential.

DeWitt is unlikely to land in Pinstripes.

For now, Cody Ransom is the answer, but will A-Rod or Ransom be the answer on June 1?

photos courtesy of cbc.ca and baltimoresun.com

The Daily Yankeeland - 3/8

With today's announcement of Alex Rodriguez's surgery, the Kansas City Star decided to start a rumor about the Yankees inquiring into the availability of the Royals' Mark Teahen. The paper didn't cite any sources, and the rumor was quickly dismissed by Yankees GM Brian Cashman. Teahen came up as a third baseman, and has experience at both corner positions and the outfield.

Bernie Williams thinks having some time off will be a blessing in disguise for A-Rod.

The Star Ledger's Mark Carig has a piece on the joint quest of Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy to forget the 2008 season and start anew.

The Post's Joel Sherman says the Yankees can survive and thrive without A-Rod.

The Yankees continue to try to sell their premium seats.

Former Yankees Graeme Lloyd and Pat Kelly are coaches on the Australian team in the World Baseball Classic.