The D-backs infielder has been on a mission since the end of last season to get his right leg in shape to withstand the rigors of a 162-game schedule, something it wasn't able to do last year when he was just months removed from major surgery.

Tracy expanded the workout facilities at his home in Glendale, Ariz., and has been working out hard since last October.

"It's gone great," he said. "It's been a while since I've had a full healthy offseason. I've gotten my body and my mind back to where they need to be. I'm in a good place. It's been a while. I'm finally conditioned to where I have confidence going in that even if I play every day I can make it through the whole season. "

Tracy's right knee has hampered him the last few years, but things came to a head in 2007 when he was limited to just 76 games because of it and wound up having microfracture and lateral release surgery in late September.

Determined to be ready as soon as possible in 2008, Tracy pushed himself to return in late May.

"I pretty much went from the training table and blood thinners back onto the field," he said.

Tracy found his stride in July when he hit .351, but he slumped to .183 in August as the games caught up to him.

"What was frustrating was running out of gas," Tracy said. "I knew I could still do it, but I ran out of gas, my legs tuckered out before the season was done. But having a July like that gave me confidence that my skills are still there. I can hit, I can play. It's just a matter of making sure I can last now for a whole season."

After a winter of hard work focused more on strengthening his core, making sure his body was aligned and relieving pressure on the joints, Tracy is itching for Spring Training to begin.

"There are plenty of ways to get strong," he said. "You can be strong in the weight room and not have it carry over onto the baseball field. We're trying to get a well-rounded athlete where the power that I have transfers onto the field. I think I'll be as strong as I've ever been on the baseball field."

D-backs manager Bob Melvin has already noticed a difference.

"This offseason he's been able to workout harder," Melvin said. "He was never at a point last year where he was 100 percent, or a guy that could go out there and play for a week straight. I think we're past that now. I think you're going to see him go out this year and post Chad Tracy-like numbers."

That would be a tremendous boost to an offense that finished 12th in runs scored last year, and the left-handed-swinging Tracy would help balance an offense that relies heavily on right-handed batters.