Nelson Cruz says it's important to work out throughout the season... Fighting Father Time: Inside Nelson Cruz’s maniacal preparation that keeps him a star at 37 By Ryan Divish Seattle Times staff reporter “My first full year, I was with Kane County and I killed it in the first half (of the season). It was crazy. I was an All-Star and hitting .280 with like 16 homers,” he said. “In my second half, I only hit like four homers and my average dropped. I hit the wall because I wasn’t working out . So the next year, I decided I needed to do it all year. And I’ve been doing it ever since.” It’s a learned process that is integral to his success. “ If I don’t do my workouts and my routine, I’m not ready to play ,” says Nelson Cruz. For him, it’s an all-encompassing process that addresses strength, flexibility, nutrition, recovery and hitting. Read about Nelson Cruz's routine
Learn about ambidextrous pitchers – from Little League to the MLB.