New York Yankees star third baseman Alex Rodriguez had an injury-filled 2011 season in pinstripes which ended with him under-performing in the playoffs, batting a mere .211 in the post-season.

In hopes of speeding up his recovery and bouncing back to the level fans have grown accustomed to, “A Rod” has traveled to Germany for experimental medical treatment on his knee. The procedure is called Orthokine and basically involves removing blood, spinning it in a centrifuge and then injecting the blood into the injured area.

The theory is that the influx of blood to the area reduces irritation and pain in the area, which is what would hinder an athlete’s performance. Kobe Bryant is believed to be the one who recommended this treatment to A Rod, having undergone Orthokine treatment himself.

Yankees fans probably don’t really care what A Rod does, just as long as he returns to being the productive hitter he’s been throughout his career and earns his massive salary.

The New York Yankees open spring training camp soon enough, their first game is scheduled for March 2nd. The hope is that A Rod will be well on his way to recovery by then and be ready to start the season fresh and strong.

The New York Yankees home opener for the 2012 season will be held at 1:05pm on April 13 vs the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Find New York Yankees tickets for the home opener, spring training and the whole season (both home games and road games) at SelectATicket.com.

Here’s some good news for New York baseball fans. Yankees and Shea stadium are some of the cleanest in the nation. In other words, you can buy Mets tickets and a hot dog at the game with very little worry.

The report claims that Shea stadium had 58 health violations in 2007 which might not inspire confidence. But when you consider the fact that Angels stadium racked up 732, the Mets come off looking sparkling clean.

Of the Angels stadium, the Daily News reports:

“There was also a major vermin violation in April that forced the shutdown of a food stand.”

It further reports:

“The A’s McAfee Coliseum reported 493 violations, several of which came from food being exposed to “overhead leakage, dirt, insects, rodents and chemical contamination.”

The cleanest of all of the stadiums was the Colorado Rockies home, Coors Field, which only showed 16 violations.

So how is all of this supposed to make us feel? It’s like those reports that find that only .05% of our food is in fact rat feces, something that’s apparently supposed to reassure us. Yay!

I still don’t like the idea that there would ever be an incidence of violation of any health code in any organization distributing food. But it appears that both Shea and Yankees stadium are making great efforts to minimize the risks.

2008 will be known as the last season for buying Yankee tickets at the old Yankee Stadium. It’s hard to know what final baseball moments will transpire in the coming season to bring remembrance and awe to New York residents. But for many, 2008 will be remembered as the year that Pope Benedict XVI came to the stadium to perform mass.

The visit is being hailed as a hit. Or perhaps a more appropriate term would be: a public relations success.

This visit marked a huge effort by the Vatican to rebuild the church after six years of scandal over alleged sexual abuses. Benedict’s approach was pointed: He took the issue head on, bringing up the subject from the very beginning of the visit. He met with victims of the abuse and attempted to reconcile those that have been hurt and offended, bringing them back into the fold. He also met with victims of the September 11th attack.

The German born theologian is known for taking a hard line on many conservative Christian issues. He doesn’t have the same charm that Paul VI and John Paul II had. But he won over the crowd with an intimate, one on one, eye to eye view of the his flock. He seemed to communicate a feeling of real love to his followers, making this a helpful trip for the church and his ministry.

Now is the time to buy your NY Yankee tickets if you want to see a few games in the traditional stadium. We’re talking about a stadium that has housed the world’s biggest baseball franchise since 1923. And this is the last year.

The Yankees are a team that can never extricate themselves from a storied history. And they can never get away from the fact that their fans expect greatness from them. With seven seasons in a row without a championship, mediocrity is not sitting well with them.

So there’s been changes in the last few years. Former Yankee catcher and coach, Joe Girardi, is now at the helm of this franchise that would love to win a championship, this their last year in the old stadium. To dream of such things is almost too glorious to think of, but every fan must hope. And so Girardi is bringing a new commitment and focus to an experienced team. He’s conditioning them hard.

Team Captain, Derek Jeter is quoted in the daily news as saying:

“It’s going to be a special year. . . . There’s always optimism going into a new season. Obviously this year some things are different, but everyone here is excited.”

Let’s hope they give the old ball park a generous send off with a great 2008 season.