Alex Rodriguez conceded it will take him some time to get back to his best after making his return for the New York Yankees in a spring training game with the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.
Rodriguez, who was suspended for the entirety of the 2014 season for violating the league's performance-enhancing drugs policy, marked his comeback with a single and a walk from his two at-bats in the game in Tampa, Florida.
The Yankees were beaten 3-1 but for Rodriguez, who received a mixture of cheers and boos on his arrival at the plate, the experience was a largely positive one.
Speaking of his single, Rodriguez said: "I was happy I just made contact, and I was pleasantly surprised it was a base hit.
"I was a little nervous. I told [plate umpire Marty Foster] to take it easy on the old man -- it's been a long time since I've been in the box.
"I thought the response [from the fans] was great. Once you hit rock bottom, any time you hear a few cheers these days is a pleasant surprise.
"Everything feels a little odd right now. I felt like I was swinging underwater. I was like, man, it's been a long time."
"It's going to take two or three weeks for me to kind of get a gauge where I am."