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Phillies' Howard breaks spring silence, says he lost 15-20 pounds

Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard finally broke his self-imposed silence this spring, telling reporters Tuesday that he lost 15-20 pounds after dropping sugar from his diet during the offseason.

Howard, who's owed $60 million over the next three seasons, found himself the subject of persistent trade rumors this winter and is now competing to keep his spot in the starting lineup. For his part, the beleaguered slugger insists he's just happy to get back onto the field.

"It's good, you get the nerves out, get game situations," Howard told reporters after going 2-for-2 with a game-tying RBI his first game of the spring Tuesday. "There's always nerves. There's always nerves. It felt good just getting into a game situation, and go from there.

Howard, who hit 23 homers but posted a career-low .690 OPS in 2014, said he's made adjustments to his approach this season, including standing taller in the box and tweaking the placement of his hands. He added that his trimmed-down physique is already having a positive effect at the plate.

"It's definitely a great feeling," Howard said. "I'm confident in my ability, now it's getting the reps, getting the work in the game type situation and putting it all together."

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