Karma Police Drive A-Rod Into Deep, Dark Hole

If there's a hermetically sealed cocoon somewhere far, far away, with armed guards and barricades positioned out front, I'd advise Alex Rodriguez to take up residence there. And he really should stay for days, weeks, months, whatever is required for the karma police to stop haunting him. He seems to have ticked off someone of considerable importance, with his humiliating steroids confession now followed by a labrum tear of his right hip that threatens his season and career.

First he's lying, now he's limping. And nobody's laughing anymore, because it's all quite creepy.

No longer is this on the level of drama-queen material. A-Rod officially has graduated to his own daily reality show, complete with an idiot family member (his steroids-supplier cousin), a mysterious trainer whose last name sounds like a performance-enhancing drug (Presinal), a 50-year-old diva who lives around the corner (Madonna), a team captain who doesn't like him and what he stands for (Derek Jeter), a commissioner who says A-Rod's juice stories are "breaking my heart'' (Bud Selig) and a new ballpark (Yankee Stadium II) with all sorts of pricey seats to fill and possibly no marquee third baseman or playoff berth to christen it.

What the man needs is to play ballgames, every day, so he can escape from the madness. For now, anyway, Rodriguez wants to keep playing on his bum hip for the Yankees when they open the regular season, sacrificing his "mother's dream'' of playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. But the quick decision to march on is fraught with peril, capable of causing further damage in the hip -- which might lead to deterioration that hampers his mobility and ability to swing the bat with his usual lower-body torque. That would lead to serious long-term doubts about whether he could play another four or five years, much less the nine he still owes the Yankees on his $275 million deal. Remember how Boston's Mike Lowell shriveled up in the second half last season when he had a labrum issue in the hip? Remember how Philadelphia's Chase Utley struggled while playing with the same condition late last season? Such a possibility awaits if A-Rod plays from April to October on the hip, with doctors now suggesting a 75 percent chance he'll do just that.

So, we're looking at a potential lose-lose predicament for the Biggest Loser. If he keeps playing, his performance can be expected to suffer, not the best way to make a steroids furor disappear while sabotaging the MVP-type season necessary to pacify the hounds in New York. If he eventually opts for surgery, remove his presence for four months, it might bury a Yankees team that scored three runs or fewer in 70 games last season and is in a robust division with Boston and Tampa Bay. Seems whatever A-Rod does, he's screwed. Amid growing concern in what already is a perpetual Yankees circus, a measured voice stepped up Friday in the person of co-chairman Hal (Not Hank) Steinbrenner, who isn't sure whether to fix A-Rod now or let him play through it and have the surgery next offseason.

"Everybody is concerned, of course," Steinbrenner said after huddling with his two servants, general manager Brian Cashman and manager Joe Girardi. "No decisions (are) being made. Just being cautious. We're going to take it slow."

"It doesn't mean it's going to get worse, it doesn't mean it won't get worse,'' said Cashman who already needs a vacation. ``That's the gray area, that's what we're all trying to figure out. It's in our best interest, because he's such an asset. Part of the conservative treatment is to limit his spring training. If we're going to try to see if we can get through the season with it, let's shorten the pounding he'll be taking.''


If it were up to me, I'd perform the surgery immediately so Rodriguez can return in early July, still enough time to piece together a monster second half. Meanwhile, the Yankees should reasonably expect their new $180-million attack dog, Mark Teixeira, to launch an uncharacteristic good start while their hired pitching guns, C.C. ($161
million) Sabathia and A.J. ($82.5 million) Burnett, carry the ballclub from Opening Day. Problem is, the Yankees could win 90 games in the American League East and still not make the playoffs. And if this team misses again after another insane spending spree, particularly in the current economy, well, I don't care how many martini bars are in the new Stadium. The natives will revolt.

Of course, when the topic is A-Rod, conspiracy theorists never are far away. As the Dominicans opened WBC play Saturday, some of his would-be teammates were said to be fuming over what they think was a staged exit by Rodriguez from the tournament. Media have speculated that A-Rod's injury is a ruse disguising a steroids-related suspension. Such talk will end if he has the hip surgery soon.

"Ultimately, it comes down to Alex: What he feels is best -- get the information, talk about it as an organization," Girardi said.

"Talk about it with Alex, and ultimately he has to make the decision. It's a tough decision no matter what."

Even if the WBC is an exercise of diluted rosters and who-cares overkill, A-Rod needed it to soothe his wounded psyche. Despite his steroids crisis, Major League Baseball was using him in heavy rotation for television promotions. He could have wrapped himself in the Dominican flag, had a huge tournament and reminded the world of his enormous talents. Before the hip injury was diagnosed in Vail, Colo., he was thrilled to join the Dominican camp, where his ex-wife and two daughters met him. Remember three years ago when the motor-mouthed moron, Ozzie Guillen, ripped A-Rod in Sports Illustrated because he played for the U.S. in the inaugural WBC? "Alex was kissing Latino people's asses," said Guillen, a Venezuela native. "He knew he wasn't going to play for the Dominicans; he's not a Dominican! I hate hypocrites. He's full of (bleep). The Dominican team doesn't need his ass.''

Well, ignorance aside, Rodriguez happens to have dual citizenship in the U.S. and Dominican Republic. Why not honor both nations by playing for both teams? That's the story line he would have embraced this month in the WBC, away from his scandals. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a dream,'' Rodriguez said last week.
"I've gotten tremendous support from not only the Dominican community but the Hispanic community all over. I think overall, it's going be very positive."

There was a fess-up moment, too, which was nice after his phony-baloney news conference. "I've put myself behind the eight ball, that's for sure," he said. "I've made mistakes. I feel bad about them. But I'm also looking forward to doing good things -- not only playing good baseball, but perhaps being a messenger of the right message for kids in the future to not make the same mistake I made."

If the Yankees and Rodriguez opt for surgery and four months of rest, all his plans will be delayed. The ballclub can make a deal for an established infielder -- Adrian Beltre, Bobby Crosby, Garrett Atkins -- but what happens to A-Rod's tender psyche without baseball? It's just something else for Girardi to worry about.

"I'm shocked; I think that's a pretty good way to describe it,'' he said of the injury. "It's worrisome. When you think about your club without Alex, that's somewhat worrisome. So, hopefully, (examining the hip) does the trick.''

This weekend, A-Rod remains in the Colorado high country for more tests. All I know is, it wasn't long ago when another high-profile athlete spent time in the Rockies while seeing medical specialists. His name was Kobe Bryant, and I'm not saying anything more. The karma police are watching.