MLB Notebook: A-Rod needs hip surgery, will miss season's start
BY Associated Press
Tuesday, December 04, 2012
12/04/12 at 3:35 AM
Alex Rodriguez will start the season on the disabled list.
The Yankees said Monday the third baseman will have surgery on his left hip, an injury that could sideline him until the All-Star break and may explain his spectacularly poor performance during the playoffs.
A 14-time All-Star and baseball's priciest player at $275 million, Rodriguez has a torn labrum, bone impingement and a cyst. He will need four to six weeks of physical therapy to strengthen the hip before surgery, and the team anticipates he will be sidelined four to six months after the operation.
This will be Rodriguez's sixth trip to the disabled list in six seasons. He had right hip surgery on March 9, 2009, and returned that May 8.
Rodriguez, who turns 38 in July, complained to manager Joe Girardi of a problem with his right hip the night Raul Ibanez pinch hit for him - and hit a tying ninth-inning home run - against Baltimore during Game 3 of the AL division series in October. He went to New York-Presbyterian Hospital's emergency room and was checked out then.
Napoli, Boston reportedly strike deal: The Red Sox have agreed to a $39 million, three-year contract with catcher Mike Napoli.
The agreement is subject to Napoli passing a physical, which will take place later this week.
A 31-year-old who also plays first base, Napoli hit .320 with 30 homers and 75 RBIs as the Rangers won their second straight AL pennant in 2011, then slumped to a .227 average with 24 homers and 56 RBIs this year.
Rangers reach deal with reliever Soria, keep Soto: The Texas Rangers agreed to a two-year contract with free-agent reliever Joakim Soria and reached a deal to keep catcher Geovany Soto.
Soria, a two-time All-Star with Kansas City, is recovering from elbow ligament-replacement surgery on April 3. The 28-year-old right-hander also had the ligament replaced in 2003.
His agreement was revealed Monday by a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because it had not been announced.
Texas also retained Soto for a $2.75 million, one-year agreement. Soto, who turns 30 next month, hit .196 with five homers and 25 RBIs in 47 games last season.
Giants, Pagan reach agreement on four-year deal: The Giants and free-agent center fielder Angel Pagan agreed to a $40 million, four-year contract Monday as the winter meetings got under way in Nashville, Tenn.
Bobby Evans, the team's vice president of baseball operations, said the deal with Pagan was "very close" and the leadoff hitter would be subject to a physical to finalize his return to the World Series champions.
The 31-year-old Pagan batted .288 with eight home runs, 56 RBIs and a team-best 15 triples in his first season with the Giants.
Source says Loney, Rays reach $2 million deal: A person familiar with the negotiations says first baseman James Loney and the Rays have agreed to a $2 million, one-year contract. The 28-year-old hit .249 last season with six homers and 41 RBIs.
Trio elected to baseball Hall: Former New York Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert, longtime umpire Hank O'Day and barehanded catcher Deacon White were elected to the Hall of Fame on Monday by a panel once called the Veterans Committee.
Ruppert bought the Yankees in 1915 and soon transformed them into baseball's most dominant team, acquiring Babe Ruth and building Yankee Stadium.
O'Day umpired in 10 World Series, including the first one in 1903. He made one of the most famous calls in the game's history, ruling Fred Merkle out in a 1908 play that long lived in baseball lore.
White played from 1871-1890, starting out as a catcher without a glove and later moving to third. He was a three-time RBIs leader, once topping the league with 49.
