IronPigs' Hernandez adjusting well to center field

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Cesar Hernandez's move to center field so far is the way he has continued hitting.

In his first 11 games after moving from second base, Hernandez batted .357 (15 for 42) with two doubles, five runs scored, and six RBIs. He also had walked four times to post a .404 on-base percentage.

"It is impressive," Phillies director of player development Joe Jordan said. "Obviously he's got a lot on his plate and he's trying to figure out a very important skill position. But he seems to be having fun and that's showing offensively."

Hernandez, 23, had sat out three of the IronPigs' last four games through Friday because of a sore wrist.

"He's got a little bit of a wrist thing, but we don't think it's anything major," Jordan said. "We also wanted to give him a little blow because he had been out there a bunch of days in a row. There were still things we could work on as a centerfielder even though he wasn't in the lineup."

Jordan is convinced Hernandez will be able to play center field at some point in the future.

"I think the day is going to come when he is ready to do it," Jordan said. "Putting a time line on it is a little difficult. There are little things like playing balls off the wall and some other things that have happened that a more experienced centerfielder would be able to do because they had been in that situation a few times. But the day will come when he's able to play center field in the big leagues."

Aaron Altherr, the centerfielder at high-A Clearwater, batted .297 with an .880 OPS through the first two months of the season to earn a spot on the Florida State League all-star team. In his first 21 games this month, however, he hit .192 with two home run and nine RBIs.

Cameron Perkins, a corner outfielder with the Threshers, has also struggled since returning from a forearm injury, hitting .205 with two home runs and 11 RBIs for Clearwater this month.

"That entire club is going through a bad time swinging the bats," Jordan said. "Guys are not seeing the ball and some things are going on with the entire group. They'll get through it and turn it around. They have to get back to trusting their ability and swinging at strikes. There is nothing more than that."

On the flip side, hard-throwing reliever Ken Giles has strung together seven straight hitless innings, allowing just one unearned run while walking three and striking out 11. Giles had missed much of the season with a rib injury.

"He looks very good," said Jordan, who spent time recently in Clearwater. ""He's probably at about 90 percent where he finished last year and he's getting on track."

Reliever Jay Johnson has been promoted to Lehigh Valley after posting a 2.65 ERA in 38 games at double-A Reading. . . . Williamsport second baseman Andrew Pullin has been sidelined by an ankle injury after stepping on a baseball during batting practice.