Can Cesar Hernandez steal 30 bases? Phillies coach Mickey Morandini says yes

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Cesar Hernandez reached base last season at a higher rate than any other Phillies player. His on-base percentage after the all-star break was the fourth-highest in the National League.

But it was what he did once he reached base that made the second-baseman's season so maddening. Hernandez was successful last season on just 56 percent of his steal attempts. It was the fifth worst rate in franchise history among players that attempted to steal at least 15 times.

So what does Hernandez, who stole 17 bases last season, expect in 2017?

"Thirty steals or more," he said.

Hernandez' baserunning struggles last season, the Phillies believe, were caused by mental errors. Mickey Morandini, the team's first base and base running coach, said Hernandez can certainly steal 30 bases. Morandini is trying this spring to tap into the potential of a player he says is one of the fastest in baseball.

"There's a right way to get 30 and a wrong way to get 30. I don't want him to be 30 for 55," Morandini said after Friday's workout. "It's more a mental thing than anything. That's what we're trying to overcome this year. Sometimes he gets worried about trying to make mistakes. When you get worried about mistakes, you're going to make mistakes. We're going to get his confidence up with the bases. We're going to hit it hard this year."

The Phillies have not had a 30-base stealer since 2014. And a Phillies runner has not stolen 30 bases a season after swiping less than 20 since 2011. It will be a steep challenge for Hernandez. But his ability to reach base will give him plenty of chances.

Manager Pete Mackanin said Hernandez needs to work on his jumps, learn how to read slide steps, and observe opposing pitchers. In short, Hernandez needs to learn the nuances of base stealing.

Morandini and Juan Samuel, the team's third base coach and one of the franchise's most prolific baserunners, met with Hernandez before each game of last season's second half. They drilled Hernandez with instruction and advice on the opposing pitcher. It worked as Hernandez stole 14 bases in the season's final three months after stealing just three in the first two.

Morandini pushed Hernandez towards the team's video room, where he could watch film of every pitcher and search for clues on how to exploit them on the base paths. Hernandez, already successful at reaching base, could be a dangerous weapon if he threatened teams once he was stood at first.

"The mental part is really the key with him. He makes a lot of mental mistakes out there," Morandini said. "Just constantly reminding him, being positive with him."

Hernandez' playing time was challenged last June with a two-game benching after a slew of mental miscues and wasted at-bats. Something needed to change.

Hernandez responded. He reached base five times in his first game back and finished the season batting .327 with a .421 on-base percentage in his final 87 games. Mackanin said he was "convinced that it did shake him up a little bit." A few days off in Minnesota may have saved his season.

"I understood the message," Hernandez said. "I knew I needed to improve. I needed to do things better. It's what I focused on."

"I think something just finally clicked for him," Morandini said. "He had to be more patient, he had to keep balls  out of the air, he had to be a little bit better on the base paths, he had to be smarter. That's the Cesar we thought we had and could get every year. The guy that can get on base and make things happen and be a solid everyday player."

Hernandez worked this offseason in Miami, grinding to add muscle to his lean frame. He said he weighs 180 pounds, 15 pounds heavier than he was last season. The result, he hopes, is more line drives and more times on base. Reaching base was not a problem. For the Phillies, it was what he did once he was there. And that will be the focus of the next six weeks in Clearwater.

"You want to be the most well-rounded player you can," Mackanin said. "If you're a power hitter, you want to hit for power. You're a run producer. You want to drive in runs. If you're a run scorer, you want to be able to score runs. Part of being that type of player like Cesar is, is to get into scoring position more often."