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TAMPA, Fla. – Alex Rodriguez's spring training saga took another unexpected turn: He's headed for hip surgery Monday that will sideline him for six to nine weeks — and that's not all.

The New York Yankees slugger will need a second operation after the season, assuming he can play all the way through. Dr. Marc Philippon, who will perform the initial procedure in Colorado, said he's confident Rodriguez will be able to do that once he recovers.

"Well, it's better than him missing the whole year," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "It could have been a lot worse."

The decision Sunday came after Rodriguez and the Yankees spent the week mulling treatment options for his torn labrum, and it was yet another jolt to the three-time MVP during a tumultuous month in which he admitted using steroids from 2001-03 with Texas.

The arthroscopic procedure that was chosen gives Rodriguez a chance to return early this season — general manager Brian Cashman said he expects A-Rod back "sometime in May." But it also means he'll need another, more extensive operation in the fall.

Philippon said Rodriguez ultimately decided (with the team's support) to put off that surgery, which likely would have kept him out until at least July because it could require three to four months of rehabilitation.

Still, his injury not only leaves the Yankees with a huge hole at third base and in the middle of their lineup, it causes major concerns about the health of a player in the second year of a record $275 million, 10-year contract.

A noted hip specialist with the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic, Philippon spoke to reporters from Vail, Colo., on a conference call Sunday with Cashman. Also on the call was team physician Chris Ahmad.

Philippon said he is confident in the "85-90 percent range" that Rodriguez will be able to play through the rest of the regular season after he recuperates from surgery.

"I firmly believe this approach will be successful and allow Alex to return," Philippon said. "We've had very good success with this approach. Short term, we feel the risk is very limited that he will re-tear his labrum during that six-, seven-month period."

The decision eliminates the option of Rodriguez treating the injury with rest and rehab and playing through the season without surgery. But this operation will not completely correct the hip.

"The surgery that will just repair the labrum tear right now would shorten his rehab," Cashman said. "Then, following the conclusion of the season, going in and repair the remaining aspects that need to be repaired."

Now that a treatment plan has been chosen, Cashman said Rodriguez is feeling better.

"When it first happened, he said he was `bummed.' That was the exact word," Cashman said. "Alex texted me and he was really positive. He is excited. This is what he wanted to do."

Rodriguez also has a cyst in his right hip that was drained Wednesday. He had additional tests Friday to test the hip's strength and flexibility.

Once he returns to the lineup, Rodriguez will likely get more days off than usual.

Cashman could not guarantee that A-Rod will be ready for the start of spring training next year following the second surgery this fall.

The Yankees have an insurance policy that will reimburse some of Rodriguez's $32 million salary this year, a baseball official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team doesn't discuss insurance publicly. Typically, insurance on baseball contracts pays back a team a specified percentage of the salary of a player on the disabled list, after a period of days for a deductible.

Rodriguez's hip had been fine until he experienced stiffness during spring training this year. The injury forced the 12-time All-Star to skip the World Baseball Classic, where he was to play for the Dominican Republic.

Philippon attributed the labrum tear to the rotational stress that Rodriguez — "a very strong hitter, strong batter" — places on his hip.

"Because of all the test findings, analysis, the function of Alex, I feel it's in his best interest to have his labrum repaired, remove part of his impingement and therefore stabilize his labrum," he said. "The goal here is to allow Alex to rehab rapidly in a safe manner."

Rodriguez will stay in Colorado for the foreseeable future.

"We'll keep Alex with us certainly for the first few weeks," said Philippon, who has treated several sports stars including golfer Greg Norman and figure skater Tara Lipinski. "The main reason being we're going to put him on the fast track so we will be very aggressive on his rehab. We'll check on Alex twice a day."

Rodriguez could swing a bat as a range-of-motion drill as soon as seven days after surgery.

"It's better news than some of the reports. It's good for him. He can get that out of the way and hopefully get back to us soon," Yankees captain Derek Jeter said at the WBC in Toronto. "We can't sit around and wait for him to come back. You've got to go out there and play. That's what good teams are about. It's more than one person."

On Thursday, Rodriguez's brother, Joe Dunand, told ESPNdeportes.com that the slugger was going to have surgery, with a projected 10-week recovery. But later that day Cashman said A-Rod would be treated conservatively in the hope of avoiding surgery.

Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon, speaking from Lakeland, where New York played the Detroit Tigers, said Rodriguez was doing the "right thing" in addressing the injury now.

"I think it's better to get it out of the way, especially since he's going to be in New York for eight more years after this year. So you might as well take care of it," Damon said.

The leading candidate within the organization to take over at third is Cody Ransom, a 33-year-old who has a .251 average and 24 RBIs in 183 at-bats over six major league seasons.

Since joining the Yankees before the 2004 season, Rodriguez has averaged 42 homers and 123 RBIs, with a .303 average.

Girardi said if the season started today, Ransom would replace Rodriguez at third.

"It's going to create something different for us, so we're going to have to take a look at some of these other guys," Girardi said. "There's still four weeks left in camp, and it opens up an opportunity for someone."

Last year, Rodriguez was sidelined from April 28 to May 20 because of a strained right quadriceps — his fifth career trip to the disabled list. An MRI exam at that time showed what Cashman called an "irregularity" in the right hip.

The labrum is cartilage that lines the hip joint. It can be torn through injury or repetitive wear and tear. When arthroscopic surgery is recommended, the doctor makes small incisions to insert specialized instruments into the joint space and either removes the torn piece of labrum or repairs the cartilage with a suture.

Dr. Kevin Plancher, a top orthopedic and sports medicine specialist in New York who trained and worked at the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic, said hip conditions such as A-Rod's are common in sports but are probably most prevalent among hockey players.

NEW YORK – Andy Pettitte's only thought was to stay with the New York Yankees. He had no interest in returning to his hometown Houston Astros.

Still, the 36-year-old left-hander was bothered when the Yankees wanted to cut his salary from $16 million to $10 million.

"Heck, the bottom line is I'm a man, and I guess it does take a shot at your pride a little bit," he said. "But when you put all that aside, I wanted to play for the New York Yankees and, you know, that was the bottom line. I wanted to be there. I wanted to play in that new stadium."

After months of stalled negotiations, Pettitte and the Yankees agreed Monday to a $5.5 million, one-year contract. While the guaranteed money is less than half New York's original $10 million offer, he can make an additional $6.5 million in bonuses: $4.5 million based on innings and $2 million based on days on the active roster.

"If in fact Andy does in 2009 what he's done before, he'll actually make more money, so in that case we would have no regrets," said the pitcher's agent, Randy Hendricks. "If things would go wrong, we might be in position to say maybe we should have taken the left fork in the road instead of the right fork in the road. But that is, as Andy said, part of life and part of negotiations."

New York withdrew its first offer in December after agreeing to a $180 million, eight-year deal with first baseman Mark Teixeira, a contract that, combined with agreements for pitchers CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, raised the Yankees' spending spree to $423.5 million for three players.

Pettitte met in Texas with general manager Brian Cashman on Dec. 11 and told him he would be willing to accept performance bonuses. The sides kept on talking.

"It just got to the point where Randy called me and said, `I think this is it, buddy,'" Pettitte said. "It didn't take me long to decide because I knew that was where I was going to play."

Pettitte might have been able to get a multiyear deal from another club.

"I could have made an awful lot more money than what I signed for," he said.

He joins a starting rotation that already includes Sabathia, Burnett, Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain. Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Phil Coke are available in the event of injuries or if Chamberlain shifts back to the bullpen.

"He's going to be someone a lot of these guys on the block can lean on," Cashman said.

The deal raised the Yankees' projected opening-day payroll to $196.8 million for 17 players with agreements. That doesn't include reliever Brian Bruney, who is in arbitration and will make between $1.1 million and $1.55 million.

"It was a great offseason. We should have the best rotation in baseball and, hopefully, the bullpen will do as well as it did last year," Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner said. "We also have a terrific lineup."

Steinbrenner ruled out any attempt to sign Manny Ramirez.

"We're out of it," he said.

Pettitte pitched for the Yankees from 1995-2003, helping them win four World Series titles, then spent three seasons with Houston. He returned to the Yankees in 2007 and was 14-14 with a 4.54 ERA last season, his highest ERA since 1999.

Pitching with a sore shoulder, he was 2-7 with a 6.23 ERA in his final 11 starts, beating Baltimore in the last game at old Yankee Stadium on Sept. 21.

Cashman doesn't anticipate any more significant moves for the Yankees during the offseason. He also doesn't think the increased spending creates more pressure on himself and manager Joe Girardi.

"I feel the heat. I've always felt the heat. I've never not felt the heat," Cashman said. "Do I think it's any hotter now than it was before? No. But do I feel it every day? Yeah, I do."

Notes:@ Cashman is paying special attention to closer Mariano Rivera and C Jorge Posada, both coming off shoulder surgery. Posada was in New York on Monday for a checkup. "We will definitely go into spring training and as we enter the '09 season with concerns about the health of two extremely important positions on any team that wants to get to the promised land," Cashman said.

NEW YORK – Mark Teixeira sat down with his wife on Dec. 12 to have dinner, his regular Friday "date night" with Leigh at the Vaquero Club in Westlake, Texas.

"I'd been asking her for weeks and weeks, Where do you want to go? Where do you want me to play?" he related. "And she said, `I want you to be happy. I just want you to be happy.' And finally, she said, `I want you to be a Yankee.' So that's when it was done. And once we got the contract figured out, it was a no-brainer."

AP – New York Yankees new first baseman Mark Teixeira poses with a bat inside the new Yankee Stadium in New

"The Yankees hadn't made their decision yet, but that's when we made our decision," he said with a laugh.

"He was pushing me for an answer. I gave it," Leigh said, giggling. "I always loved New York, and I thought it would be really special for him to be a Yankee."

The free-agent first baseman officially joined the Yankees on Tuesday, finalizing a $180 million, eight-year deal initially agreed to Dec. 23, pending contract language and a physical. Teixeira's news conference might have been the last big event at old Yankee Stadium — the team is set to move on Jan. 23 across 161st Street to its new $1.3 billion ballpark. Workers were wheeling whirlpools out of the visiting clubhouse Tuesday in anticipation of the move.

Teixeira had first been to Yankee Stadium when he was 8 or 9 years old. Don Mattingly was his favorite player, and Teixeira admitted, "I was in awe."

"I was sad to see this place go," he said wistfully. "I think everyone is going to miss Yankee Stadium."

Now 28, he already is thinking ahead to April 16, when New York hosts Cleveland in the first opening day at the new ballpark.

"You know what the coolest part is going to be?" he said. "I'm going to get a chance to be the first first baseman that the Yankees have in the new stadium. And, you know, the Bleacher Bums in right are going to do the roll call. That's going to be pretty sweet. Hopefully, we're going to be four games up in the division at the time, and are already rolling, and the fans here in New York will be pumped."

Teixeira is a notoriously slow starter, batting .254 through April and averaging three homers and 11 RBIs in the first month of the season. But on his first day in pinstripes, he said all the right things. He sounded at home, referring to Derek Jeter as "DJ" and saying the captain was "one of the greatest Yankees of all-time."

"I have yet to tap my potential," Teixeira said. "I haven't accomplished anything yet. I don't have a World Series ring on my finger."

The timing of his decision might be news to the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals, who also sought to sign Teixeira. He and agent Scott Boras met with Red Sox officials in the Dallas area on Dec. 18.

"There was no mention of the Yankees, but we felt all along that they were going to get the last call. That's what you deal with in working with Scott," Red Sox owner John Henry wrote Tuesday night in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman met with Teixeira on Dec. 4 at a Washington hotel where the Los Angeles Lakers happened to be staying, noticing coach Phil Jackson in the lobby. Cashman made an initial offer at some point, then withdrew it.

"Without a doubt, this was a deviation from our plan," Cashman said. "We felt he was a rare, exceptional opportunity."

On Dec. 22, Cashman called Boras and the following day made a $160 million, eight-year proposal. Cashman thought until 11 a.m. on Dec. 23 that Boston was the favorite, then told co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner after hearing Boras' questions that the Yankees were the "lead dog." By 1:30 p.m., he had a deal.

Boras said the Red Sox had no cause to complain.

"I think Boston knows that they got good-faith proposals and they were given proposals, which means if accepted, the player would have signed the proposal," he said. "If teams reject them, they cannot in any way suggest that they were strung along."

New York has committed $423.5 million to three free-agent additions this offseason after its streak of 13 consecutive postseason appearances ended. On Dec. 18, the Yankees completed a $161 million, seven-year contract with left-hander CC Sabathia and an $82.5 million, five-year deal with right-hander A.J. Burnett.

At that time, the Yankees thought that would be the final news conference at the old ballpark, which opened in 1923.

"The old Yankee Stadium doesn't want to die," manager Joe Girardi said.

Some other teams have been angry that the Yankees added three top free agents. The Yankees' payroll currently projects to start about $10 million to $20 million below last year's opening-day figure of $209 million.

"We all feel like we do a lot for this industry, between the revenue-sharing dollars we contribute, the merchandise we sell, the tickets we sell," Yankees co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner said. "So if you've got some owners that are upset, I'm just not going to let it worry me. I'm not going to lose sleep over it. It's a shame that they feel that way."

With all the new additions, there will be increased pressure on Girardi to win in his second season.

"They give you the resources to win, and you're expected to win," he said.

Notes:@ Because Andy Pettitte hasn't accepted the Yankees' proposal of about $10 million for one year, the Yankees aren't sure the offer will still be available to the left-hander. "I think things are more complicated now," Cashman said, adding that he couldn't say he was optimistic. ... Like Sabathia and Burnett, Teixeira won't play in the World Baseball Classic. ... Girardi let slip that the Yankees have agreed to a minor league contract with RHP Jason Johnson. To make room for Teixeira, New York designated 1B-OF Shelley Duncan for assignment. ... Girardi isn't sure whether the switch-hitting Teixeira will bat third ahead of Alex Rodriguez or cleanup behind A-Rod. ... Teixeira will wear No. 25, Jason Giambi's old number. Teixeira had worn 23 with his previous teams whenever it was available to honor Mattingly, whose number has been retired by the Yankees. "Donnie Baseball was my guy," Teixeira said.