Remember when Alex Rodriguez, faced with the possibility of missing the entire 2009 season because of a torn labrum in his hip, decided to split the baby and have one minor surgery before the season and another after? Well, forget that: A-Rod says he’s totally fine now.
Seriously. A-Rod felt so comfortable by the end of the year that he and his doctors have decided that, nevermind, the first surgery was fine.
There’s a very good chance that Rodriguez will not need the additional procedure, because he was able to come back so strong and the Yankees eventually followed the plan to give him additional rest through the second half of the season.
Dr. Marc Philippon performed the surgery on Rodriguez in March, and he was on the field at Yankee Stadium for the playoffs, raving about A-Rod’s condition. “Clinically, he certainly doesn’t need any intervention at this time,” Philippon said then. “His power is excellent and his rotation in his hip is excellent. For us, clinically, we couldn’t be more pleased.”
In other words, A-Rod no longer requires the Super-Serious Surgery he would have needed to finish off the season back in March because he’s now hitting so well? It’s amazing what a hot streak in October will do for the body, we guess. It better be enough to keep that hip fine through 2017, though, because that’s how long the Yankees are paying him. Seriously, though? He’s just all right now? That’s how it works? We are not a doctor.