As much as Alex Rodriguez's poor judgment has hampered the Yankees recently, you can't help but wonder if the club fared just as poorly in their handling of his hip issue, which ultimately resulted in a torn labrum in his right hip -- and a need for surgery.
Rodriguez had an arthroscopic procedure March 9, and general manager Brian Cashman said the All-Star will be back "sometime in May." After the season, Rodriguez will undergo a more invasive surgical procedure to completely correct the problem. Cashman insisted to reporters in spring training that the club didn't have reason to act earlier regarding Rodriguez's hip, but there's certainly room to question that opinion.
A MRI exam in May 2008 revealed an irregularity in Rodriguez's hip, Cashman told reporters.
You would think the Yankees would have raised a major red flag on this situation for their premium player, who signed a record $275 million contract, with about another $30 million in incentives.
But since he didn't feel much pain after that, they did not call for another MRI exam last year, Cashman said.
"Just because they have it doesn't mean it's a problem," he told reporters after announcing the tear in Rodriguez's labrum. "Just because you have it doesn't mean you need surgery.
"So that's why you put it in the file. You treat the patient, not the symptom. You don't treat the MRI. You treat the patient."
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