A-Rod: I feel like an 8-year-old again!

TAMPA — Alex Rodriguez insisted yesterday he is not finished.

In fact, when he held the bat in his hand during the first day of his return to baseball activities and took about 30 swings off a tee, he said: "Man, I'm so excited to be back out there. It was like being 8 years old again when I first grabbed a bat. I'm really looking forward to getting back.''

This is now about "unfinished business.''

When Rodriguez will take care of that business remains to be seen. That is the $114 million question. There has been much talk about him returning to the Yankees after the All-Star break.

AP

HAPPY RETURN: Alex Rodriguez gestures to a photographer as he arrives at the Yankees' minor league complex in Tampa for his first day of baseball activities after hip surgery in January. A-Rod took about 30 swings off a tee and said he looks forward to 'unfinished business' when he returns to the Yankees.

When I pressed him about returning this year — asking: Will you definitely be back this season? — Rodriguez answered: "I really hope so, I really hope so. That is [as] specific as I'll get. … I'm working 24/7 to get back on the field. The way the season ended last year was very embarrassing. It was very tough on me and obviously our team; it was a devastating sweep against Detroit [in the 2012 ALCS].

"I have a lot of unfinished business and I'm looking forward to getting back and helping my team win. I'm really looking forward to getting back on the field where I am close to 100 percent and being who I am.''

Just who is Alex Rodriguez now at the age of 37 after so much shadow and success in his baseball life and after this latest extensive hip surgery in mid-January?

"It's been a rough stretch with the rehab,'' he said. "I've been through it before in '09 but obviously this one was a lot deeper, a lot more severe, it was five anchors and it shaved the bone, they didn't do any of that in '09.''

A-Rod is not putting a timetable on his return, noting, "That's wise around here these days.''

This was only the first day of light baseball activity in a long road back. He ran a little, threw a little and took those "30 hacks.''

A-Rod is breaking down this comeback into 30-day increments and a four-week plan. Then he will huddle with doctors again for part two of the plan.

Rodriguez signed about 40 autographs, stopping traffic along the way as one car pulled off to the side of the road as its occupants dashed over to get his autograph, screaming "We love you A-Rod!''

Dressed in khakis and a white pullover, Rodriguez was relaxed and comfortable. He is proud of what the Yankees have done without him.

"It's been extremely inspiring to watch the way the guys have played, the team effort, working together,'' he said. "They get an A-plus.''

Rodriguez pushed aside a question about Biogenesis, saying: "I can only control what I can control. I'm really focused on getting healthy and just getting back and helping the Yankees win a championship.

"When I get back in the flow of things, things are going to feel a lot more like normal,'' he added. "I'm here for at least a month, two months, it depends you know.''

Mark Teixeira, one of many Yankees rehabbing at the team's minor league complex, said: "It's great seeing [A-Rod]. He's a little bit further behind than we are obviously, but he's just happy to be back doing some baseball activities and he has a big smile on his face right now, which is good.''

As for all those injuries and so many Yankees rehabbing here, Rodriguez said: "We always talk about injuries are part of the game, but this is crazy, but I have to tell you the way those guys are playing up there and the job the front office has done putting these guys together last minute, hats off to everyone. It's inspiring and also, hopefully it sets the stage for when some of us go back to add on to the great things they've been doing.''

With those words, Rodriguez got into his Maybach, a vehicle that sells for about $416,000, and was off — finally, his first day of baseball activities behind him.

kevin.kernan@nypost.com

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