Schadenfreude 159 (A Continuing Series)

George A. King III, Post:

Alex Rodriguez informed Yankees officials in Tampa yesterday he isn't ready to begin a minor league rehab assignment because his surgically repaired hip isn't up to the task, a source told The Post last night.

This despite Rodriguez tweeting a day earlier that he had been cleared to play in games by Dr. Bryan Kelly, the surgeon who operated on him in January. ...

The source also said he has heard speculation Rodriguez could use the hip problem to retire. That would allow him to collect the $114 million owed to him.

Bill Madden and Teri Thompson, Daily News:

Alex Rodriguez has 114 million reasons for telling the world that he has the green light to play baseball games again.

According to sources close to the ongoing drama surrounding the star-crossed Yankee third baseman, Rodriguez and his advisers are so concerned that Major League Baseball's drug posse is quickly closing in on him that they have racheted up the timetable for him to return to game action.

Once he’s back playing in rehab games, the sources say, he could then claim he is physically unable to perform because of the serious hip injury he is recovering from, "retire" from the game, and still collect the full amount of his salary — $114 million over the next five years.

Joel Sherman, Post:

Alex Rodriguez hates the Yankees and the Yankees hate Alex Rodriguez. Nothing changed yesterday amid the calmed tones and spin doctoring. ...

And if A-Rod wants to play major league baseball — which he insists he does — than his choices are pretty much limited to the Yankees, because teams would not exactly line up for a soon-to-be-38-year-old with two surgically repaired hips, more baggage than Louis Vuitton and Bud Selig going all Javert on him.

In other words, besides adding another chapter to the ever-expanding soap opera that is Rodriguez's life, nothing much has changed today from the 10-year relationship of player and franchise — they hate each other, yet still need each other.

Dan Martin, Post:

Mark Teixeira's 2013 season is over almost before it began, with the first baseman set to go under the knife early next week to repair a torn tendon sheath in his right wrist.

John Harper, Daily News:

Brian Cashman's rather coarse words regarding Alex Rodriguez notwithstanding, is anyone really surprised the GM is a bit cranky these days?

His team continues to fall apart on him, mostly in terms of age and injuries, and Cashman is not only faced with potentially missing the playoffs for only the second time since the Yankees' postseason run began in 1995, but then what? ...

But beyond the doom and gloom is the bigger picture: suddenly you can't look at these Yanks without thinking Cashman has quite the daunting task ahead of him.

That is, finding a way to field a championship-caliber ballclub next season and beyond despite the likelihood of a reduced payroll and very little immediate help coming from the farm system.

The Yankees lost last night and are 3.5 GB the Red Sox in the AL East.