Update: Still no date set for A-Rod’s surgery

January 5, 2013 by Mike Axisa 121 Comments

Saturday: Brian Cashman told Anthony Rieber that A-Rod has not had a setback and is still on the original “prehab” schedule. “We have a tentative date, but I’m not going to reveal it,” said the GM. Sounds like a non-story that turned into a story because it’s A-Rod.

Friday: Via Dan Martin: A date still has not been set for Alex Rodriguez‘s left hip surgery. He says it is not expected to be performed until the middle of this month at the earliest.

The Yankees announced A-Rod’s left hip injury — a torn labrum, bone impingement, and a cyst — early last month, noting he would need to go through 4-6 weeks of “prehab” before the procedure. It has already been four weeks and next Monday will mark five weeks, so the middle of the month would be 6-7 weeks out from the announcement. Once he has the surgery, A-Rod is expected to miss 4-6 months. Give his age and the nature of the injury, I’m assuming he’ll be out for the high-end of that range if not longer.

thenamestsam

God, ARod can’t even get having surgery right. What a choker.
- MannyGeee
  
  At this point in their respective careers, Nunez would be to surgery much more efficiently than A-Rod is. A-Rod’s the worst!
  - Robinson Tilapia
    
    Nunez would take the scalpel away from the doctor and toss it straight into the next room.
    - Greg
      
      Nunez would probably hit Andy with the scalpel, causing Andy to go on the DL for 4 months.
Nate

Is A-Rod’s contract officially the worst in team sports history?
- trr
  
  Yes, it is. Rest assured, he’ll be out the whole year.
  Thanks Hank, you fat fool!
- Robinson Tilapia
  
  The money being paid out is surely bigger, but at least he’s produced for some of it and will continue to get back out there on the field and try to produce.
  
  How many teams paid for Mike Hampton to do nothing? I’m sure there’s far worse examples of that as well.
  - Gonzo
    
    That reminds me. The first picture you get when you google Denny Neagle is a gem.
    
    Imagine that being the first thing people see when they google your name.
  - Austin Aunelowitzky
    
    The other element making it the worst ever to me is the Yanks were bidding against themselves. It’s like Hank was bidding against Hal. They didn’t give a smart fair market deal to a player and have it go south (Zito?), they gave an absurd contract at the time that everyone knew was ridiculous and would go south.
    - Robinson Tilapia
      
      We knew it’d go south eventually. We just hoped it went north enough before it went south to justify it.
      - Austin Aunelowitzky
        
        But it was never a smart contract, never ever ever. Even if it went north longer it was a dumb contract. Too long, too much money, bidding against themselves, on the heels of the absurd W.S. game opt out announcement and further screwing of the Yankees by releasing the Texas Rangers of their financial commitments to Alex in what was left of the original deal. Once he came back on blended knee, hat in hand, he should have been forced to “take less to be a Yankee” to quote the old baseball sage Axisa.
        
        Austin Aunelowitzky
        
        Uh, *bended* knee…
        
        Robinson Tilapia
        
        Just what we need from A-Rod now….a blended knee! Dalelama was right! :)
  - Jorge
    
    100% agree with you, Robinson. Alex Rodríguez has made significant contributions to Yankees success, and will keep doing that. A matter of time
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
  
  I don’t even think it’s the worst in NY sports history (Rick DiPietro).
  - Andy Pettitte’s Fibula (formerly Manny’s BanWagon)
    
    Did you give up on Rick already????
- King of Fruitless Hypotheticals
  
  “Is A-Rod’s contract officially the worst in team sports history?”
  
  Kei Igawa
  - Evan3457
    
    Igawa’s contact wasn’t remotely nearly as bad. You have to add in the posting bid before you can even discuss it in the same sentence.
http://www.twitter.com/matt__harris Matt :: Sec110

August 1st. It will be like trading for the best third baseman available! (hate that saying)
- MannyGeee
  
  Here’s to hoping Youkilis is still upright by that point.
Robinson Tilapia

I’ll assume we’ll hear from the same amateur physicians who wondered last year why Michael Pineda wasn’t sent for the extra-crispy-tie-dye MRI first now.

Thanks for the heads up, Mike. None of us obviously have any goddamn idea as to what the considerations are around the surgery timetable, and it’s helpful to know when it’s reasonable to expect Alex back.
- mustang
  
  Patient Rodriguez will have is producer done on 1/16/13. Mr. Rodriguez will be cleared for full baseball activity on 6/21/13. He will play his first full game on July 20th vs. the Boston Red Sox. In this game he will hit a 3 run HR to bring victory to his team.
  
  Yours truly
  Mustang WebMD
- jjyank
  
  See: comment below.
  
  Does anyone actually think that they’re delaying his surgery for shits and giggles?
  - Robinson Tilapia
    
    They just want their TSJC burrito.
- Ted Nelson
  
  Yet, Mike still assumes it will take the long-end of the announced window or longer… that’s some good webMDing right there in the article. A Dr. says 4-6 months, and Mike says 6+ months, and continues to repeat that ad nauseam. He even seems to be trying to use an extra week pre-surgery as evidence that it’s already behind schedule (maybe the Dr. isn’t available until then… maybe the more prep he does before the quicker he’ll be back after… who knows?).
  - Robinson Tilapia
    
    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO………..
    - MannyGeee
      
      Hey Robi, don’t you feel like a dick for defending him now?
      
      The tiger didn’t go cra-zay, the tiger went tiger…
      
      – Chris Rock
      - Andy Pettitte’s Fibula (formerly Manny’s BanWagon)
        
        LMAO
      - Robinson Tilapia
        
        Oh, I still think he makes solid points 99% of the time.
        
        I also think he’s that guy who’ll drive over the same pothole on the street every time even though he knows it’s coming.
      - Ted Nelson
        
        If stuart a or Rainbow Connection or someone came on here and said “I see that A-Rod is out for six months or longer…” everyone would be all over him. Mike said exactly that and, since it’s Mike, everyone is all over me for calling him out.
        
        thenamestsam
        
        Nope. Everyone is all over you because in the thousands (tens of thousands?) of comments you’ve posted on this website you are still yet to EVER disagree with someone without coming across as incredibly hostile, openly condescending, unbelievably rude, and generally an all-around asshole.
        
        For the record, I do agree with the substance of 99% of your posts.
        
        Ted Nelson
        
        Just about anyone who criticizes or sometimes questions Mike usually gets a string of nasty comments. That speaks to the job he does running the site, but I also think it speaks to human nature and people sometimes ignoring the content of the comments people make. Which is sort of your point too, I guess.
        
        Get Phelps Up
        
        Really? comparing Mike to two of the most longest tenured and well known trolls here? Of COURSE there would be a different response.
        
        Ted Nelson
        
        You can compare two things and conclude they are different. I can compare the Empire State Building to a hut. My point was that people are reacting to Mike’s reputation, not the substance of his comments. If a less respected commenter made the same point, I believe they would get flack.
        
        Robinson Tilapia
        
        I can only speak for myself, but I already knew where both of you stood on the issue. I also respect both of you enough to just let you have your opinions, as well as respectfully disagree when I have to. I don’t need to read a rehash again.
        
        Since I don’t really value either stuart or RC’s opinion much, yeah, I’d treat them differently. They’d also be expressing it differently as well.
        
        People are all over you because that’s the dance some of you do with each other on here. Someday, someone will just decide they’re going to stop typing after about two or three exchanges.
        
        Jim Is Bored
        
        ” Someday, someone will just decide they’re going to stop typing after about two or three exchanges.”
        
        Bwaaahahahahahahahaha!
        
        Thank you, I needed that to get me through the rest of this day.
        
        Andy Pettitte’s Fibula (formerly Manny’s BanWagon)
        
        “People are all over you because that’s the dance some of you do with each other on here”
        
        So he’s a victim of the game, not the instigator of the majority of these daily arguments around here because he doesn’t know how to speak to people with even a modicum of respect and civility?
        
        You’re one of my favorite commenters around here RT, but I’m calling bullshit on that one.
        
        Ted Nelson
        
        People who come on here to make things up, like you, no I don’t respect them so I don’t treat them with respect. Just below you’ve lied about A-Rod’s age and then said you don’t need to be a doctor to decide if someone’s body is “breaking down” based on missing baseball games. You routinely make things up to fit your arguments.
        
        Andy Pettitte’s Fibula (formerly Manny’s BanWagon)
        
        So by saying Arod is 38 years old when he in fact has already lived 37 years and 5 months old is a lie?
        
        Saying Arod’s breaking down despite the fact that he’s on the cusp of a 2nd hip surgery and has missed 190 games over the last 5 years is a lie?
        
        You have a funny definition of the word “lie”
        
        Robinson Tilapia
        
        Not what I meant, actually. I was getting slightly “couples therapy” there with you.
        
        It takes two individuals to dance, meaning that it doesn’t take, say, just you or Ted to start a mess on here. It takes both of you. In some ways, both of you “co-create” each other and this stops when someone, either Ted or the person responding to Ted, chooses to try something different.
        
        This is why I constantly say that it’d be nice to see someone stop responding after about the third time around. That would be “doing something different.”
        
        In conclusion:
        
        1) Yes, I just spoke of you and Ted as a “couple.”
        
        2) I just gave you a small taste of actual theory behind family therapy.
        
        3) It takes two people to dance, and both those people are always an intricate part of the dance. Both are victim and instigator.
        
        Andy Pettitte’s Fibula (formerly Manny’s BanWagon)
        
        You never cease to make me laugh.
        
        As per your occupation, I know you can never and will never pick a side even though you really know or at least have an opinion at to which party is mostly at fault.
        
        I guess I should just accept Ted for being Ted and not call him out for being a nasty SOB.
        
        The one thing you’re missing though is sometimes it can be fun to fight
        
        Robinson Tilapia
        
        Nobody’s perfect. I just wish that, no matter how right one guy thinks he is and how nasty the other one is being, that one person, doesn’t matter who started it, etc., would just choose to move on. So many other people to make fun of on here.
        
        Whoever you are partnered with in a relationship is a reflection of what you made them. “You” created Ted and Ted created “you.”
        
        It’s temporarily fun to fight, but then what? You walk away all blustered up and actually might take a bit of it out on someone who matters more.
        
        This is turning into a LoHud Trisha moment where you’re being taught about LIFE, so I’ll stop.
        
        Andy Pettitte’s Fibula (formerly Manny’s BanWagon)
        
        You’re a good man RT.
        
        I’ll take your advised about TN and try not to engage him in these long drawn out battles.
        
        I will say that I’d love to know what he’s like in real life.
        It could be like looking into the face of pure evil….
        
        Andy Pettitte’s Fibula (formerly Manny’s BanWagon)
        
        I don’t think anyone would have a problem with any commenter who opined they believe Arod would be out for 6 months or longer since it’s a logical opinion.
        
        You don’t have to be an MD to think Arod will LIKELY be out until the long end of the estimated recovery time since:
        
        A. He’s 38 years old
        B. He now will have 2 surgically repaired hips
        C. His body is obviously breaking down as he has missed about 30 games or more each season since 2008.
        D. The Yankees are notorious for babying players coming back from injury
        E. There is little incentive to rush Arod back sooner rather than later and risk re-injury
        F. 4-6 month recovery is assuming no complications, also a questionable assumption
        
        Ted Nelson
        
        Most of that is either wild speculation or factually incorrect.
        
        Andy Pettitte’s Fibula (formerly Manny’s BanWagon)
        
        He will be 38 in July-fact
        This is his 2nd hip surgery-fact
        He has missed 24, 38, 25, 63 and 40 games the last 5 years-fact
        The Yankees have ALWAYS been conservative with players rehabbing from injuries-fact
        The Yankees owe him $114 million dollars and there is little incentive for them to rush his rehab time table-fact
        As with any surgical procedure, there can always be a complication and for an older player, the likelihood of complications increases-fact.
        
        And I left out the fact that this surgery is much more involved than the first when he just had a labrum repair since he now needs to have a bone impingement in his left hip repaired in addition to the labrum.
theyankeewarrior

Good thing they looked into this early. Like in September, or October, or November. He’s only a $300M asset that they need to produce. Yankee management is really on the ball this offseason. Making us all proud.
- Havok9120
  
  Well that was well timed.
Yank the Frank

I remember when we seemed to have stolen ARod away from Boston, how incredible that seemed. Now it has turned into such a bust.
- Robinson Tilapia
  
  Yeah. He’s really been a shitty player those EIGHT years since.
  
  Do these folks actually believe what they write?
  - Yank the Frank
    
    Yes we do. When you factor in the money that was given to him that could have gone elsewhere and his off field bullshit, yeah I think he was a bust.
    - Robinson Tilapia
      
      What off-field bullshit? The interview in which he came cleaner than anyone else on PED use? Yeah, that was terrible, wasn’t it?
      
      So those MVP awards, almost-MVP awards, and championship in 2009 were a bust to you. I hope you hold yourself to those same standards.
      - Yank the Frank
        
        The parade of blonde bimbos, strip clubs and illegal poker games, tossing baseballs into the stands to solicite telephone numbers, classy guy.
        
        jjyank
        
        Who the hell cares about any of that stuff?
        
        He can have all the bimbos he wants as long as he does stuff that matters, like, ya know, being a great teammate.
        
        Robinson Tilapia
        
        You’ll get less blonde hotties with Youkilis. That’s for sure.
        
        MannyGeee
        
        and more goats.
        
        shit, sorry. forgot he’s on our team now. got to break that habit, he’s one of the good guys now.
        
        Andy Pettitte’s Fibula (formerly Manny’s BanWagon)
        
        I thought Greeks like sheep, not goats.
        
        I’d think it would be pretty dangerous to try and have your way with a goat.
        
        Captain
        
        are you talking about Mantle or Arod here?
        
        MannyGeee
        
        Ray Lewis was tried for murder.
        Andruw Jones smacked the shit out of his wife,
        Ben Rothlisberger can’t go an off-season without sexually assaulting someone (allegedly),
        Kobe Bryant rapes women in Colorado,
        Pacman Jones slaps strippers around,
        Aqib Talib tried to shoot his sister’s boyfriend,
        A-Rod plays poker and bangs starlets and strippers – not out of wedlock, not on roofies, not in the back of a primer van… nope. just has sex with willing participants. What an asshole
        
        One of these things is indeed not like the others.
        
        Gonzo
        
        Dude, Steve Carell killed a guy!
        
        Get Phelps Up
        
        Did dalelama with get a new handle?
        
        Get Phelps Up
        
        Obviously take out “with” there…
        
        dalelama
        
        No, its Arod’s chokemastery that bugs me along with his scamming an ungodly contract based on sterod enhanced performance. He is just fortunate he had Matsui and Damon to get him his lone WS ring.
        
        Get Phelps Up
        
        Well since you were nice enough to reply to my comment, I’ll say that Damon and Matsui wouldn’t get a chance to do their WS heroics if it weren’t for a pair of game tying homers that ARod hit in the late innings of games against top flight closers. And there’s still his game tying homer in the 7th inning of game 3 of the ALDS, his homer against Hamels that turned game 3 around and his game winning double in game 4 during the world series.
        
        You just don’t like the guy, plain and simple.
        
        dalelama
        
        Aroid is a serial post season under performing. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
        
        Get Phelps Up
        
        The stench of your terrible trolling is overwhelming.
        
        jjyank
        
        lol
        
        Jim Is Bored
        
        At this point I think “dalelama” is just the handle anyone uses when they want to troll or bash Arod.
        
        Brian S.
        
        What do you think of Jeter then?
        
        WhittakerWalt
        
        JETER HAS NEVER HAD A BAD POSTSEASON SERIES EVER EVER EVER.
        
        – Michael Kay
    - Robinson Tilapia
      
      And what’s this “we” shit? Do you talk to your penis as well?
      - Yank the Frank
        
        Only when I talk to you.
        The “we” was in response to your “these”.
        
        Jim Is Bored
        
        RT is Yank the Frank’s penis?
        
        jjyank
        
        *shudder*
        
        Robinson Tilapia
        
        You mean, in the grand scheme of things, I’m just a little sperm in some negative nancy’s little weiner?
        
        Probably about right.
    - LK
      
      The man won 2 MVPs with the team and had one of the greatest postseasons of all time. He might get his number retired. You need to get in touch with reality – if he’s a bust, almost everyone is.
      - thenamestsam
        
        According to rWAR he’s the 9th most productive position player in the history of the Yankees. What a bust.
        
        Get Phelps Up
        
        Stop it with those facts and stats, all that matters is that he played poker once and got a few phone numbers.
        
        dalelama
        
        I would like to see rWar per million paid adjusted for inflation.
RetroRob

Nothing different here than what was reported last month, with surgery expected in mid-January.

My favorite Cashman quote on the issue: “I know a lot of people have told me they think home runs are bad,” Cashman said. “I’m not one of them. Well, those people are going to get a chance to see what it looks like.”

I guess that was for Eddard.
Mike HC

Ted Nelson must be rolling over in his grave after you wrote, “I’m assuming he’ll be out for the high-end of that range if not longer.”

… Do we have a Ted comment already queued up for this?
- Robinson Tilapia
  
  We sure love baiting him, don’t we?
  - Mike HC
    
    So you are saying Axisa was intentionally baiting Ted?
    - Robinson Tilapia
      
      Does it sound like I was saying that? Did Axisa mention his name at all?
      
      I remember Ted saying “early end” and Mike now saying “late end.” Believe it or not, neither of them actually have any clue when that’s going to be. It’s guesses….except for Mustang above, who predicted the exact date and, by gawd, I am holding him to it. There’s going to be hell to pay on 6/21, mister.
      
      I just scrolled up and saw Ted’s reply, of course. I swear, whatever sweet smell it is you all cover your comments in, it works every time.
      
      Let’s sit back and watch another chapter of the saga no one claims to like but sure loves to contribute to.
      - Mike HC
        
        I actually agree with Ted. I wouldn’t assume he would be out longer than the doctors say either. I’m sure the doctors also took into account ARod’s age and the nature of the injury.
        
        My comment was just a joke that Ted can’t take when Axisa consistently makes that claim. And by his comment to you above, I was right.
        
        Robinson Tilapia
        
        We may get a new “….which is on the late end of when Alex Rodriguez is coming back” meme out of this, though, which would make it all worth it.
    - MannyGeee
      
      He’s saying A-Rod’s hip was intentionally baiting Ted, get it right!
- Ted Nelson
  
  Dr. Mike Axisa is clearly qualified to comment on the recovery time of a 37 year old undergoing this particular procedure. I’m sure he has put his decades of medical training as an orthopedist to work analyzing this particular patient. We can easily input the difference between this procedure at 37 and his last procedure at 33 into our handy medical calculators to know that he has past the Axisa theorem optimal age recovery quotient by two months and five days.
  - Mike HC
    
    As I wrote above, I’m in agreement with you.
  - http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
    
    Oh please. The doctors told the Yankees 4-6 month recovery according to the team’s announcement, and I said I assume he’ll be out closer to six months than the four months. I don’t see what’s so difficult to understand about that.
    - Ted Nelson
      
      “I’m assuming he’ll be out for the high-end of that range if not longer.”
      
      4-6 translates more to 6 months, if not less. I don’t see what’s so difficult to understand about that.
  - Andy Pettitte’s Fibula (formerly Manny’s BanWagon)
    
    Still the charmer I see
  - Get Phelps Up
    
    We should submit all posts/comments for Ted Nelson Approval in the future, amiright?
    - Get Phelps Up
      
      And for the record, usually I agree with the main ideas of your posts. It’s just that if something has more than a hint of negativity, you feel a need to start attacking it.
    - dalelama
      
      Ted is a Hall of Fame wanker for sure.
- Brian S.
  
  How can he be rolling over in his grave if he isn’t dead?
  - Robinson Tilapia
    
    Typo. He actually meant he was rolling Papa Bear over in his grave.
Get Phelps Up

There’s really nothing surprising here, in both the news and the comments.
- MannyGeee
  
  this comment thread is pure, unadulterated, completely expected awesome…
  - Robinson Tilapia
    
    Meanwhile, on LoHud…
    - Reuben Sierra’s Chains
      
      Trisha chick still acting like a complete BITCH!
      
      Ho Hum…
Brian S.

A-Rod is cool.
Andy Pettitte’s Fibula (formerly Manny’s BanWagon)

I’d set the Over/Under games player at 3rd by Arod in 2013 at 40 and take the under.
- Get Phelps Up
  
  Not necessarily a bad thing, assuming the rest are as a DH.
  - Robinson Tilapia
    
    Yeah, but he’s assuming “the rest” is about a game and a half.
    - Andy Pettitte’s Fibula (formerly Manny’s BanWagon)
      
      Not necessarily.
      
      Gun to my head, I’d guess that Arod comes back around with around 75-80 games to go and plays 20 games at 3B and another 40 as DH.
      - dalelama
        
        Does your over/under include post season? Not that it matters because we know Aroid won’t show up then.
Sparky

So is there ever a chance the Yankees could find a way out of A-Rod’s contract, even if they have to do a buy out?
- dalelama
  
  The only chance is if Aroid flashes an ounce of pride and self respect and retires when he is consistently below the Mendoza line. So, in other words, no.
Get Phelps Up

No stuart a yet?
Anthony

I wont be the last one to say Arods contract is a bust but without him in 09 we would of never went to the world series he got some big hits that whole year was a bunch of big hits for arod…how soon we forget ;)
RobA

Surprised no one is talking about the implications in 2014. ARod needs 13 HR to get a $6 million bonus. He desperately needs to get that in 2013, because if not, then the Yankees need to leave a $6 million buffer in 2014 (or just sit Arod). And looking at the pace he hit HR the last two years, even if hes back by July, its going to be very iffy.
- RetroRob
  
  It’s been mentioned here more than a few times. The general media hasn’t picked it up yet. They will eventually.
RetroRob

As said, when I saw the “story” the other day, I couldn’t figure out what was the new news. He was on the same schedule announced more than a month back.
- Robinson Tilapia
  
  Yet we somehow still squeezed a six-hour knock-down-drag-out fight about it on here.
Robinson Tilapia

Correct, since the REAL story is that my wife swears up and down she saw Alex driving a BMW SUV down Riverside Drive and the 60’s this morning. My wife is a celebrity eagle-eye spotter.

Unless he’s just plain not in NYC right now, this isn’t far-fetched at all. Last time we visited a friend who lives in Trump Place, we saw Jane Krakowski hailing a cab.
- Mike HC
  
  Running into celebrities in nyc is inevitable if you live there long enough.
  - Robinson Tilapia
    
    It still never gets old, though. Ask anyone. One literally lives around the block from me and it’s still an “event” when we bump into her.
    - Mike HC
      
      Yea, it would be disingenuous if I said it was just “normal” city occurrence. It definitely stands out. My favorites were running into the Manning Brothers and Liev Schreiver. I also enjoyed running into the guy on Lost who screams “WAAAAAALT” for most the series.
      
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVehDbM6NTI
      - Robinson Tilapia
        
        My favorite of all time was my being at a coffee shop in the LES, with my back to the door, when a guy walks in talking really loudly and sounding exactly like David Lee Roth. I turn around…..and it actually is Diamond Dave.
        
        This got better when, a couple of months later, my phone looks for available networks at a bar on that same block and one pops up called “DAVIDLEEROTH.”
        
        I’ve probably seen more famous and more random people, but that’s just my favorite story.
Pistol Pete

Wouldn’t doubt Arod’s done for 2013. His body is showing the signs of repeated steroid use. Best the Yanks could hope for is a few years of ARod at DH but Cash and the Steinbrenners might just cut bait with him when he gets back if he’s got any value left. It’s more likely over the 4 plus years he’ll have left on his contract that he’ll continue to get hurt. McGuire, Sosa, and many others fell from grace fast following heavy steroid use. They disappeared and lost the ability to play quickly. Arod sure looks like he’s headed in that direction.