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A-Rod Will Try To Play With Injury

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 6, 2009

TAMPA - Alex Rodriguez will attempt to play this season with an injured right hip, hoping to avoid surgery and a four-month rehabilitation period.

A cyst in the hip was drained Wednesday, and the New York Yankees third baseman will skip playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Still, he has a torn labrum that might need an operation.

"There's two course of action concerning what he has," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Thursday. "There is treat it conservatively, which would imply rest, exercise and treatment. Or you can treat it aggressively, which is by surgery.

"At this point at in time, we are going to go the conservative route."

The diagnosis by Marc Philippon, in Vail, Colo., was yet another jolt to Rodriguez during a tumult-filled one-month span in which the three-time AL MVP admitted using banned drugs from 2001-03 while with Texas.

Earlier Thursday, it was reported by ESPNdeportes.com that Rodriguez's brother, Joe Dunand, said the slugger was going to have surgery, with a projected 10-week recovery time.

"If at some point it's not working and it's a problem, then the other one becomes more of a choice," Cashman said. "Right now, the route we're going is conservative."

Cashman said Rodriguez's preference was to try rest and treatment first, but that offseason surgery might be an option.

"We're collectively trying to figure out what is best to do for everybody involved," Cashman said.

Cashman added the team hopes the cyst was the cause of stiffness that had bothered the 12-time All-Star and caused him to see a specialist, Marc Philippon, in Vail, Colo. Rodriguez was to undergo additional tests in Colorado today.

"Now that it's drained, we're going to see how he responds," Cashman said. "Get a gauge of how much improvement, if at all, there is."

Struan Coleman of the Hospital for Special Surgery, which treats the New York Mets, said Rodriguez probably could avoid an operation by having heat and cold treatment, but might need an injection to control pain and/or inflammation. Coleman said it is unlikely the injury is related to past steroid use.

"It's quite common in athletes who do a lot of rotational movement in their sport," Coleman said. "This a slowly progressive process. This has been going on a number of years."

In other Yankees news, Mariano Rivera threw off a mound Thursday for the first time since offseason shoulder surgery, and the closer expects to be ready for Opening Day.

Japan Wins In WBC Opener

TOKYO - Ichiro Suzuki went hitless, yet Japan had enough offense for a 4-0 win over China in the opening game of the World Baseball Classic.

The defending WBC champions got solid pitching from starter Yu Darvish and a two-run homer from cleanup hitter Shuichi Murata in the third inning to defeat a much-improved China team.

"In my first at-bat I didn't get a hit, so I was just trying to get the runner in," Murata said. "I hit a home run in my first game, so that should give me some confidence for the rest of the tournament."

GIANTS: Released veteran outfielder Dave Roberts, a surprise move that could cost them $6.5 million this season.

NATIONALS: Shawn Hill was scratched from his scheduled start against the Detroit Tigers because of right forearm tightness.

RANGERS: Right-hander Brandon McCarthy will pitch against Kansas City today after all, in a "B" game on a back field instead of the regular spring training game.

ROCKIES: Setup man Taylor Buchholz will miss at least a month with a sprained ligament in his throwing elbow.

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