Darin Ruf finds comfort in the Phillies' outfield

CLEARWATER, Fla. – There is still dew on the ground most mornings when Darin Ruf jogs out to left at Bright House Field. A coach, a bag of balls and a bat is there when he arrives.

Over and over, balls are hit off the left-field wall, and over and over again Ruf scoops the ball up.

"He's been working really hard at it," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "I think he's running and getting around better and feeling good. I know he worked hard in the offseason on that."

Ruf is relaxed. Certainly more relaxed than last spring. It was his first big-league camp and some expected him to win an opening day job. The Creighton product had spent most of his four previous minor-league seasons playing first base.

But the Phillies wanted him in the outfield and Ruf struggled to get comfortable there last spring. In addition, he didn't find his hitting stroke until the end of the exhibition season, starting off 3 for 23 with one extra base hit.

Ruf started the season at Triple-A, mainly to get innings in the outfield.

In 83 games for the Ironpigs, Ruf hit .266 with 46 RBIs. He played 60 of those games in the outfield and made no errors.

"I'm definitely a little bit more comfortable with the situation," Ruf said. "Last year was a bit of a different scenario."

Ruf also appears more comfortable at the plate, hitting .280 in 11 games, with two home runs and a .920 OPS.

Ruf, listed at 220 pounds, also came into camp in better shape, according to Sandberg. Ruf laughed when the subject was brought up.

"If I stepped on a scale I don't think my weight changed, like the number that it reads," Ruf said. "I might've worked it in a different way. I think it's differently dispersed. Just trying to be more athletic."

Ruf said he's focusing on taking better routes in the outfield, trying to utilize the little speed he has in the best way possible.

"It's a matter of becoming an efficient runner as opposed to picking up speed," Ruf said.

Ruf is trying to secure a spot on the bench. He, John Mayberry Jr. and Kevin Frandsen, all righties, are likely competing for two spots.

Sandberg hinted a week ago that he needs another left-handed bat on the bench. That spot is likely Bobby Abreu's to lose.

It could come down to Ruf and Mayberry since Frandsen is primarily an infielder. Both Ruf and Mayberry can play the outfield, though Mayberry can play all three spots. Both also play first base, though that is Ruf's natural position.

In five seasons with the Phillies, Mayberry, 30, is a .245 hitter with a .734 OPS in 437 games. He has hit 46 homers.

In 85 big-league games over the last two years, Ruf has hit .257 with an .838 OPS and 17 home runs.

The main thing working against Ruf is that he has one more option year, meaning the Phillies could send him down to start the season. Mayberry's options are exhausted, meaning he would have to go through waivers and accept a minor-league assignment.

Contact Chris Branch at cbranch@delawareonline.com.