No date has been set for Alex Rodriguez’s hip surgery and it’s not expected to be performed until the middle of the month — at the earliest.
When asked for a potential return date for the third baseman, even general manager Brian Cashman wouldn’t hazard a guess. Regardless, he admitted Rodriguez’s absence only will add to the reduced role of home runs in The Bronx in the upcoming season.
“I know a lot of people have told me they think home runs are bad,” Cashman said. “I’m not one of them. Well, those people are going to get a chance to see what it looks like.”
The days of the Yankees being able to rely on homers at nearly every spot in the lineup appear to be over. With Nick Swisher officially an Indian after finalizing a four-year deal yesterday, he joins Russell Martin and Raul Ibanez as departed Yankees whose power hasn’t been replaced.
“We lost Swisher and Ichiro [Suzuki] doesn’t hit homers like Nick,” Cashman said. “And we haven’t replaced Martin’s power. Hopefully, we won’t lose that much with [Kevin] Youkilis replacing Alex at third, but we’ll lose some.”
Barring a significant trade, the chances of adding a big bat are slim. Scott Hairston remains a possibility, but the Yankees are hardly alone in their pursuit of the 32-year-old, who is one of the only right-handed hitting outfielders on the free agent market.
Despite the work that still needs to be done, Cashman hasn’t given up on 2013. He has long been a major believer in the importance of being able to get home runs from throughout a lineup, and though that hasn’t changed, the financial reality has been altered.
“I do believe power is big in an offense and we lost a lot of home runs, but our pitching is stronger,” Cashman said. “You play in a certain sandbox and that sandbox isn’t producing a lot of choices right now for power guys.”
* The Yankees will open their season against the rival Red Sox in The Bronx on Monday, April 1 at 1 p.m.