A-Rod may be out untill May

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TAMPA, Fla. -- Alex Rodriguez's troublesome right hip requires immediate surgery, the third baseman's brother told LasMayores.com, MLB.com's Spanish-language Web site.
Rodriguez's brother, Joe Dunand, said that Rodriguez will have the operation performed on Monday in Vail, Colo., by Dr. Marc Philippon. Dunand said it was his understanding that the recovery time for such a surgery is 10 weeks.

The surgery would nix Rodriguez's hopes of playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic and possibly cause him to miss part of the regular season if Dunand is correct and Rodriguez has the procedure done.

"We're not giving any information right now," Yankees spokesman Jason Zillo said Thursday.

"I do not have that information. I have not heard that yet. I have to talk to Cash," manager Joe Girardi said, referring to general manager Brian Cashman.

Rodriguez left the Dominican Republic team on Wednesday to fly to Colorado after the results of a MRI taken Saturday in Tampa revealed the internal cyst. A Yankees team physician, Dr. Chris Ahmad, recommended that Rodriguez undergo an examination by a specialist.

"For the entire family, this is a big blow," Dunand said. "Alex is destroyed. We were all really excited to see him play with the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic but the most important thing is the operation is successful so Alex can continue with his career."

The 33-year-old Rodriguez has managed discomfort in his right hip dating back to last season. Girardi said Wednesday that Rodriguez had expressed feeling "a little stiffness" at various times since last season.

"There wasn't really any pain -- just some mild stiffness," Girardi said. "He was doing a lot of stretching and worked on it this winter as well. We just want to make sure that we're doing the right things with this."

Rodriguez has played regularly this spring, including going 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored in Tuesday's Dominican Republic exhibition against the Marlins. He left the Yankees on Sunday after playing in New York's Grapefruit League loss to the Reds at Sarasota, Fla.