New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was surprisingly successful last season after sitting out all of 2014 due to a PED suspension, but his production dipped drastically down the stretch, which A-Rod admitted was because he wasn't where he needed to be physically.
"August was tough last year, and September," Rodriguez said, via the New York Daily News. "Look, there's always room for improvement, but I'm in a good place. I'm happy, healthy and ready to go.
"Last year was so different for me because you think about November, December and January were such workload months for me. Then I hit a wall once August came. August probably felt more like November or something. But I think this year I feel good. I'm healthy, and I think the key is to pace myself. Historically I've always done pretty well in August. Hopefully I can get back to that."
He recognized that part of that may have been the stress and pressure he put on himself to come back strong from his suspension, and he says he's much more ready to play this season.
"I think there's a lot of weight off my shoulders," Rodriguez said. "That's probably what he's seeing. I'm happy. I'm comfortable. It's great not to be carrying all this luggage and bringing it into our clubhouse. I feel like I can be an asset in that clubhouse and be kind of a senior (leader)."
Rodriguez hit .250 with 33 home runs and 86 RBIs last season, though only nine home runs and 25 RBIs came after August 1.
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