GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Second baseman Jason Kipnis looked at the ring finger of his left hand. It had a hole in it.

"I could see white," said Kipnis on Wednesday after Indians pitchers and catchers reported to spring training. "It was either a bone or a tendon. It was something I wasn't supposed to see."

Kipnis pinched his finger between a 45-pound weight and the rack it was supposed to go on. The surprising thing, at least momentarily, was the lack of blood.

"There was no blood at all," said Kipnis. "There was like a five-second pause and then there was a puddle."

It was November and Kipnis' luck was still running cold. He just finished a disappointing 2014 season in which his numbers plummeted from his All-Star season of 2013. A decision to get stronger and add muscle following the 2013 did not go well.

Kipnis got stronger all right, but lost flexibility and agility. On April 29, he grounded out against the Angels and tore his right oblique muscle off the ribcage. When he returned after a month on the disabled list, his swing did not come with him.

Coaches and teammates told Kipnis he was "cutting his swing off." The pitches on the outside part of the plate that he used to drive to left and left center field, he couldn't reach. The line drives he hit in 2013, turned into weak ground balls to second base.

"It felt like when you're swinging and someone is pulling on your shirt and bringing you back," said Kipnis.

It reached a point where Kipnis was making outs in his sleep.

"I joked around with other people ... and told them even in my dreams when I was at the plate I was rolling over on pitches and cutting off my swing," said Kipnis.

Kipnis ended the season hitting .240 (120-for-500) with six homers and 41 RBI. He didn't hit a home run after July 31 and didn't have an RBI in September. As a parting gift, Kipnis strained his right hamstring. He needed time to rest, heal and devise a new plan for 2015.

Indians first base coach Sandy Alomar put Kipnis in touch with a "muscle activation" therapist in Chicago to work on his oblique. The therapist had to work on Kipnis' psyche as well.

"This guy was good," said Kipnis. "He gets you over that hump. I had a mental block as well as a physical block about it."

Kipnis changed his training program as well. Bulking up was out. Lean was in.

"One of the Indians' old strength coaches lives about 15 yards from my apartment in Chicago," said Kipnis, "so I started working with him using Joe Kessler's program."

Kessler is the Indians strength and conditioning coach.

The Alumni Locker Room at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, honoring @ASU_Baseball greatness. #SunDevils4Life pic.twitter.com/XmEXvgy6il — Arizona State Sun Devils (@TheSunDevils) February 7, 2015

"I got stocky last year and I forgot to move around and make sure I was still flexible and quick," said Kipnis. "It hurt me in the long run, but that's hindsight now. I think the flexibility and agility is the smart way for me to go."

Just when it appeared Kipnis had turned the corner and was ready to send out a search party for his swing, his finger collided with a 45-pound weight. He underwent surgery on Dec. 16, which required the insertion of a pin to ensure proper healing.

While Kipnis could still stretch and run, swinging a bat would have to wait until he got to Goodyear. On Feb. 3, two days after the Super Bowl, Kipnis arrived in the desert. He's been hitting off a tee, but isn't close to hitting on the field yet.

"The finger feels good," said Kipnis. "I still can't bend it all the way, but it doesn't hurt when I hold the bat."

The Cactus League season starts March 3 and the Indians think Kipnis should be ready for games right around then. He's looking forward to getting reacquainted with his swing.

"Last year I tried to find a way to make it (my swing) work and obviously I didn't find too many ways," said Kipnis. "I've got a fresh start with my swing again this season and I'm really happy about that."