A-Rod to have arthroscopic hip surgery, will miss 6-9 weeks

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Alex Rodriguez will have arthroscopic hip surgery Monday and is expected to miss six to nine weeks. The Yankees slugger will need further surgery after the season.

The diagnosis by Dr. Marc Philippon on Sunday was yet another jolt to Rodriguez during a tumultuous month in which the three-time AL MVP admitted using steroids from 2001-03 while with Texas.

The decision eliminates the discussed option of Rodriguez treating the injury with rest and rehab and playing through the season without surgery.

Philippon spoke from Vail, Colo., on a conference call with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. Philippon, a noted hip specialist, will perform the procedure.

Rodriguez has a torn labrum and a cyst in his right hip. The cyst was drained Wednesday, and he had additional tests Friday to test the hip's strength and flexibility. His hip had been fine until he experienced stiffness during spring training this year.

Rodriguez is in the second season of a record $275 million, 10-year contract. Now, New York must try replace its third baseman and cleanup hitter, placing further responsibility on new first baseman Mark Teixeira.

The leading candidate from the organization to take over at third base would be Cody Ransom, a 33-year-old who has a .251 average and 24 RBIs in 183 at-bats in six major league seasons.

Last year, Rodriguez was sidelined from April 28 to May 20 because of a strained right quadriceps -- his fifth career trip to the disabled list. An MRI exam at that time showed what Cashman called an "irregularity" in the right hip.

Rodriguez's 138 games last season were his fewest since 1999, when he tore cartilage in his left knee during a spring training agility drill March 30. He played in the first two games of that season with Seattle, then was put on the disabled list April 7 and missed 32 games until he returned May 14.

Since joining the Yankees before the 2004 season, Rodriguez has averaged 42 homers and 123 RBIs to go along with a .303 batting average. He's in the second season of a record $275 million, 10-year contract.

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