Hanley Ramirez needs surgery, and his return for the start of the 2012 season may be in doubt:

The recovery time could last anywhere from four to six months, meaning Ramirez might not be ready for the start of spring training next February and could even miss the start of the 2012 regular season.

The news arrives with awful timing for the Marlins, who were hoping to have all hands on deck — especially the face of the franchise — for the opening of their new $500-plus million ballpark next April.

I hope this doesn’t turn into an Eric Chavez debacle. The Athletics let Miguel Tedaja go and kept Eric, signing him to a long term contract. Constant injuries kept Chavez from living up to that deal. The Marlins let Dan Uggla go, signing Hanley long term. With luck, this will be a one time problem for Ramirez.