Ryne Sandberg impressed with Odubel Herrera's work ethic

Herrera, the Rule 5 draft pick who has quickly become the Phillies everyday centerfielder and leadoff hitter, shags fly balls for two groups of batting practice every afternoon opposed to the typical one. His manager likes that.

"He goes ball to wall," Sandberg said. "He gets jumps on balls that he's not even going to catch and chases them all the way to the wall and then plays them off the wall. And he does that for about a half an hour every day.

"I think that's pretty impressive, and I think that's really helped him take that into the game. It's still a learning position for him but he's going about it the right way."

Herrera is a natural second baseman still learning center field. The 23-year-old Venezuelan hadn't before this season played above double A but is hitting .298 (14 for 47) and leads the Phillies in extra-base hits with seven - five doubles and two triples. He has struck out 11 times, worked four walks and stolen three bases in three attempts.

"It's amazing. It almost doesn't matter the name on the back of the jersey of the pitcher that he's facing," Sandberg said. "From spring training all the way through now, he just goes up there and swings the bat and sees the ball and hits it. I think he really keeps it real simple as a young player and doesn't over-think things."