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Angel Pagan underwent back surgery in September.

Five months later, the Giants' center fielder feels terrific.

“I’m good, I’m perfect,” Pagan said on Tuesday morning.. “I feel like never before. Right now, I’m pain-free.”

[PAVLOVIC: Pagan feels 'like never before' after back surgery]

In 2013, Pagan injured his hamstring while rounding the bases on his walk-off inside-the-park home run on May 25.

Following the win, the Giants were 27-22 and in a three-way tie for first place in the NL West.

But Pagan went to the DL, underwent surgery on June 25 (they removed an entire tendon) after tearing the tendon during a minor league rehab assignment in San Jose on June 20, and the Giants went 32-52 without him. (Pagan returned on Aug. 30 and the Giants went 17-12 over their final 29 games)

Last year, the Giants struggled again without their leadoff hitter in the lineup, going 19-26 from June 15 to Aug. 6.

However, despite the fact he was lost for the postseason following back surgery on Sept. 25, the Giants captured their third World Series in five years.

“I was part of it,” Pagan said on Tuesday. “I believe I helped the team a lot during the year to put them in the right spot. For me, it’s satisfying.

“At the end of the day, when all is said and done I felt happy. Because they picked me up as a teammate.”

According to team broadcaster Duane Kuiper, the Giants can't afford to lose Pagan for an extended stretch if they want to play October baseball in 2015.

"Although we watched the Giants survive a world championship run without him, they do need him to get to the postseason," Kuiper declared on KNBR 680-AM Tuesday morning. "And I think he knows it, and I think he really feels like he wants to show his teammates that they can count on him to stay healthy because he is a difference-maker. There are so many things that he does in that leadoff spot that make him a difference-maker ...

"Part of the deal with signing Nori Aoki was 'in case something happens to Pagan,' now you got a leadoff hitter and Blanco then goes to center field. So that was a little bit of an insurance policy in case something happens. And look, they may lose him (Pagan) for 15 days on the DL, who knows ... but a lot of eyes are going to be watching Angel Pagan to see how he takes the field, what he looks like, is he moving around OK..."