Inside the Phillies: Herrera's flair has roots in his native Venezuela

CHICAGO - If you enjoyed Odubel Herrera's emphatic bat flip - the lumber is still floating somewhere over Detroit's Comerica Park - then you should catch a flight this winter to Latin America, where the player's enthusiasm has its roots.

Herrera, who has been the team's source of energy this season, has played with flair since the Phillies acquired him before last season. He slaps his hands to his batting helmet after big hits, mimicking a pair of bull horns to match his nickname of "El Torito." He tosses his bat and claps his hands after working walks. Herrera has fun.

His celebrations, he said, come naturally. Nothing is forced. And it all stems from his native Venezuela, the South American country that is home to six Phillies players and where Herrera has played for the last two winters.

"If you go to Venezuelan winter ball and Dominican winter ball, you're going to see a lot of that stuff," Freddy Galvis said. "You'll see pitchers striking out people and dancing on the mound. It's really different. That's the way we play back in our country. We try to stay the line in the USA because sometimes people think it's disrespectful. But sometimes it happens as a reaction. They're enjoying the game. Not trying to disrespect anyone."

Herrera slapped a single on Monday, and Galvis charged to the top of the dugout steps. Galvis slapped his hand to his helmet and Herrera shot him back a pair of bull horns. The Phillies learned last season of Herrera's nickname - which is Spanish for "the Little Bull" - after some players saw him play in Venezuela.

His teammates in Venezuela started the bull horn celebration, and Herrera carried it to the majors.

"That's what makes it so special," Herrera said through a translator. "It's not just me having fun, it's also my teammates having fun. At the end of the day, that's what it's all about. We all want to enjoy the game. If we can win together having fun, then let it be that way."

Herrera has been much more than bat flips and bull horns. The leadoff hitter entered Friday with a .440 on-base percentage and 33 walks in 46 games. He has more walks this season than he did all of last season. His hot start to the season has continued through May. Herrera, 24, was batting .341 in 85 at-bats this month. He is proving that last season - when Herrera surprised everyone to become one of baseball's top rookies - was not a fluke.

"He's an energy source on this team," Ryan Howard said. "He goes, we go. When he's walking, he's clapping and all that kind of stuff. It gets the rest of the team pumped up."

Andres Blanco said Herrera's composure has improved over the last two seasons. He remembers seeing Herrera two years ago in the Venezuelan winter league. Herrera would flip the bat if he struck out. And if he popped up, Blanco said, you had no clue where the bat was going to end up. Herrera was playing with passion, Blanco said.

That energy has been refined. Herrera struck out Friday and calmly walked back to the dugout. He has gotten better, Blanco said.

"I always want him feeling good because that's his game. That's the way he plays. He does better when he's feeling good," Blanco said. "Hopefully, it does not offend anyone. That's not what he's trying to do. It's just the way he plays."

Herrera put his hands on his knees Friday morning, keeling over with laughter as he talked about the way he flipped his bat Wednesday in Detroit after hitting a home run that traveled 427 feet to right field. He was playing with passion, and for a moment it was an escape to those wild winters back home.

"I didn't think I threw it so high. I loved it. It made me laugh," Herrera said. "If I had to grade it, then I would ace it."

@mbreen@phillynews.com

@matt_breen