From Trent
Edwin Encarnacion was on the field early Tuesday, taking extra fielding practice.
Although Encarnacion's bat has come around -- he's got a career-high 11-game hitting streak going and has raised his average to .273 with a team-leading five home runs -- he's also made a team-high six errors, the same number of errors made by the rest of the team combined.
"He's working with Chris on his first step, balance and rhythm," Baker said. "Defense is timing just like offense is timing. Edwin's made some outstanding plays. Chris put in some work in Chicago with Aramis Ramirez. If you're willing to put in the work, Chris will go with you. Offense is fun, but defense is work. When you work, you can get better. (Encarnacion) works hard."
Encarnacion said he's not happy with his fielding, and is determined to put in the work to improve.
"Before every home night game, I'm trying to do something different and work and get better," Encarnacion said. "Even when you're doing good, you have to keep working. I don't feel like right now with six errors, I don't feel good with that. I'm not thinking about that, I'm just working on my defense and keep working to get better."
Encarnacion even had a bit of bad luck in Monday night's loss. On a hard grounder by the Dodgers' Jeff Kent, Encarnacion dove to his right to stop the ball and went to his knees to make a throw. However, the ball got stuck in the webbing of his glove.
Encarnacion said that'd never happened to him before. He had the glove's webbing tightened before Tuesday's game in hopes that it wouldn't happen again.