A-Rod: The third baseman showed up in camp lighter and more flexible, prompting some to wonder if that would mean less power than in 2010, when he hit 30 home runs, his fewest since 1997. But Rodriguez says this is the best he has felt since his MVP season in 2007, not just swinging the bat but moving laterally at third base.
If A-Rod has finally gotten past the chronic hip problems of the past — they’ve limited him to an average of 133 games a year since 2008 — it’s possible to imagine him returning to his 40-homer days.
Scouts say Rodriguez is generating lower-half torque as if he were pain-free.
“He’s driving through the ball now, not just using his arms,” said one talent evaluator. “That would worry me if I’m the one pitching to him.”
Hitting instructor Kevin Long said: “(Rodriguez) has certainly shown that he’s ready to go, maybe more ready than anybody on our squad. He looks terrific.”
If nothing else, A-Rod intends to improve on those 30 home runs and his .270 average, which he called, “unacceptable.” Still, by topping 30 HRs and at least 100 RBI every year since ’08, A-Rod became one of three players to do so playing in fewer than 140 games. The others were Joe DiMaggio and Chick Hafey, according to the Elias Sports Bureau
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