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Phillies' Cesar Hernandez can still get better | Hayes

LAKELAND, Fla. - Larry Bowa calls Cesar Hernandez "Little Man." It is a term of endearment and fraternity between smallish middle infielders; Hernandez is 5-10 and 160 pounds, about the same size Bowa was when he played.

LAKELAND, Fla. - Larry Bowa calls Cesar Hernandez "Little Man." It is a term of endearment and fraternity between smallish middle infielders; Hernandez is 5-10 and 160 pounds, about the same size Bowa was when he played.

Bowa never had a .371 on-base percentage like Hernandez did last season; his highest was .334. Only once in his 16 seasons did Bowa bat better than .294. But Bowa packed so much passion and heart into that small package that he became an All-Star five times, earned two Gold Gloves and helped win the Phillies' first World Series.

Hernandez's goal is to reach Bowa's level of focus.

"That's what I'm working on the spring," he said. "Every little thing."

He is an exciting player, 26 years old with his best days ahead of him. The Phillies control his rights through 2020, and he is a valuable commodity: an everyday second baseman with bona fide leadoff ability with All-Star potential.

"No question," said Mickey Morandini, an All-Star second baseman for the Phillies who now coaches first base. "He can play the defense. Great range. Turns a great doubleplay. If he can continue to get on base like he is, starts stealing more bases, he can be a guy who scores 100 runs easily."

At best, he is a long-term answer at a core position. At least, he is a valuable trade asset. At present, he is overshadowed.

The Phillies' farm system is fat with top-notch hitting prospects. Big-league third baseman Maikel Franco has intoxicating power, as does first baseman Tommy Joseph. Shortstop Freddy Galvis put on a defensive clinic most nights. Centerfielder Odubel Herrera earned a surprise All-Star berth in 2016.

Meanwhile, in his first full season as the full-time second baseman, Hernandez led the team with a .294 batting average and 66 walks, in addition to on-base percentage. His 11 triples led the National League.

"He's a ballplayer, isn't he?" said hitting coach Matt Stairs.

Yes. He is. Talented, imperfect and on the cusp of stardom. His proximity to the cusp varies inning to inning.

On Wednesday, Hernandez mishandled a routine doubleplay groundball that cost a precious out in the first inning against the Tigers' powerful lineup. He led off the third inning with a bunt single off ace Justin Verlander, then easily stole second base . . . but he also nearly got picked off both first and second base.

Yes, it's the end of an extra-long spring training; and yes, this was a split-squad game, with all the intrigue of a Friends rerun. Still, all habits can become bad habits. At times Hernandez just didn't seem engaged.

This is all too often the problem.

"I tell Cesar and some of our other players all the time: To play winning baseball, you have to prepare for every situation on every pitch," Bowa said.

That's because every pitch requires repositioning your body and hands; anticipating the most likely outcome of a ball being put in play; going to the correct spot if the ball is not hit to you; and, if the ball is not put in play and there are base runners, going to the correct spot to discourage delayed steals or botched return throws to the pitcher. Your Fitbit should be buzzing in caloric ecstasy.

"If you play in the middle of the infield, at the end of a major league baseball game you should be, like, 'Blugh,' " Bowa said, pretending to collapse in a chair. "You should be exhausted."

Hernandez agreed:

"Yes. Where I should play in the infield; where the outfielders are on every pitch," he said. "Offensively, too. Running bases. Getting more steals. Timing the pitcher."

As the Phillies' manager from 2001-04, Bowa got that message through to Jimmy Rollins, who turned into the greatest shortstop in Phillies history. As the Phillies' bench coach last season, Bowa got through to Freddy Galvis, who ranked third among National League shortstops in the SABR Defensive Index (SDI), a metric which, for the past four years, has helped determine Gold Glove winners.

Hernandez had no idea that his on-base percentage was the team's best since 2010, but he was well aware that he ranked second in SDI, behind Gold Glove winner Joe Panik, despite committing 12 errors, second-most among second basemen with at least 565 chances.

His lapses are the only thing denying him a Gold Glove.

His technique is the only thing keeping him from 30 steals.

He is among the fastest players in baseball (he also poked an RBI infield single Wednesday, and neither of his hits drew a throw). But, while he might be as fast as an ostrich, he has similar base-running instincts.

His base-running blunders have become routine and, for a player possessed of elite speed, his 17 steals, 30 attempts and his 56.7 percent rate of success are embarrassing.

This spring Hernandez has worked with Morandini, who stole a career-high 26 bases at the age of 30, mostly on guile. Morandini wasn't slow, but Hernandez would have beaten Morandini in a 60-yard dash . . . running backwards.

Hernandez stole his sixth base in six tries Wednesday.

"It was mostly straightening out his first step and working on his jumps," Morandini said. "He was a little leery of getting picked off, because he gets some big leads.

"Our goal is 30 for this season, but he could go well beyond that."

Finally given the chance to play his natural position every day after being blocked by Chase Utley for three seasons, Hernandez posted the franchise's best on-base percentage since Jayson Werth finished at .388 in 2010 on a 97-win team that went to a third consecutive National League Championship Series.

Back then Werth was overshadowed by established stars such as Utley, Rollins, Ryan Howard, Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels. Now, Hernandez performs in the shadow of other blossoming players.

"Franco is hyped, Herrera's hyped, and guys like Dylan Cozens in the minors; we're looking to the future," Morandini said. "But he was our best player in the second half last year. He doesn't get all the attention, but he likes it like that."

That should change. With a bit more focus, the Little Man will be making big waves.

hayesm@phillynews.com

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