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Like Alex Rodriguez, Dave Winfield missed a year and came back strong

A quarter-century ago, a Yankee with Hall of Fame numbers returned to the field in his late 30s after sitting out an entire season.

This player was one of the greatest athletes of his generation. His tenure with the Yankees, though, had been pockmarked by controversy as he feuded with his own team.

When Dave Winfield returned to the Yankees in 1990 after missing the previous season following back surgery, he was 38 years old. It was unclear if he was going to be the player he used to be.

Except to him.

"Even though I missed a season with back surgery," Winfield said this past week in a telephone interview, "once I knew I was going to be healthy, I was sure that I was going to come back and be OK.