Goodwin on his comfort zone, Baker on Difo's progress

CINCINNATI - If you've looked at Brian Goodwin in the past couple of weeks and thought he looked a lot more comfortable as the Nationals' leadoff hitter and center fielder, you're probably right.

Pressed into service atop the lineup and in his natural position when Michael A. Taylor went down with a right oblique strain that has been slow to heal, the 26-year-old Goodwin has found a comfort zone.

Goodwin originally picked up more playing time when left fielder Jayson Werth fouled a ball off his left foot in early June and went on the disabled list with a big toe injury that continues to trouble him. When Taylor was hurt, Goodwin shifted from left to center field and from the No. 2 spot in the lineup to the top of the order.

"I just feel like I like where I'm at," Goodwin said. "I like playing every day. I'm comfortable at the top of the order - I feel like I'm a top-of-the-order guy. I'm in center field, where I've played all my life. It'd be really hard for me to say I'm uncomfortable."

When players reach the majors for the first time, as Goodwin did last season for a couple of cups of coffee, they sometimes find themselves in unfamiliar territory. A club may need a speed guy, a hitter from one side of the plate to balance the bench or a guy capable of playing specific positions. They often take the hot hand, but sometimes go for a guy who can fill multiple different roles.

When Goodwin, the 34th overall pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, arrived in D.C. last summer, he played more right and left field than he did center, where he had spent most (but not all) of his time in the minors. And he moved around the batting order, rarely hitting near the top of the lineup.

But Goodwin said it wasn't a major adjustment.

"I had a lot of time in the minors to make some adjustments," he said. "Play around in the outfield at different spots. Move around a little bit in the order. I wasn't a leadoff guy my entire career, or second my entire career. I haven't been at the top of the order all my life. Getting here is an adjustment, but pretty minor."

In his past 29 games, Goodwin has started to find himself offensively and defensively. He's posted 14 RBIs, drawn 12 walks and scored 20 runs, bringing his on-base percentage to .320 and his OPS to .804. Part of that is his familiarity with the role of a leadoff hitter and part is the fact that sluggers hitting behind him are driving him home. He's also flashed some leather, including a diving grab in center field to preserve Gio Gonzalez's shutout in Friday night's series opener against the Reds at Great American Ball Park.

"I give credit to Dusty (Baker) for seeing that in me," said Goodwin, who doubled and homered in Monday's win." I just have to give credit to those guys for ... seeing that and just seeing that I'm not out of my comfort zone by putting me up there."

Goodwin's transition from dependable reserve to trusted regular hasn't gone unnoticed.

"He looks a lot more comfortable," Baker said. "And he's turned into a big leaguer. So that's the thing: You can guess as a young player and say, 'Hey, I'm ready for the big leagues.' But until you have the opportunity to play and prosper, you don't know if you're a big leaguer. He looks much more comfortable."

And Baker is quick to point out that the sink-or-swim situation that Goodwin inherited was the kind of thing that doesn't always turn out so promisingly.

"He didn't ease into it, he was kind of forced into it," Baker said. "And he's made the most of the opportunity and there's still a whole lot more in there. We just have to keep him healthy until Michael A. gets back, and some of the other guys."

Another player who has opened eyes is shortstop Wilmer Difo, who carries an eight-game hitting streak into tonight's series opener at Anaheim. Difo is 12-for-24 with a double and two RBIs in that span and has been hitting in the two-hole more frequently.

The Nationals have always thought Difo's glove would play in the majors, but they had to wait for his bat to come around. In spring training, Baker pointed out repeatedly how Difo had to cut down on the mental mistakes that took the shine off whatever he was able to accomplish.

Difo is now recognizing pitches more effectively and hitting fewer fly balls. Any time a speedster can use that tool, he looks more impressive.

Asked what has changed for Difo, Baker said: "His pitch selection, I think. He's staying out of the air. A lot of guys want to hit the ball in the air, but some guys, they don't belong in the air. And you look at all his hits. They're either line drives or ground balls up the middle or through the holes. His pitch selection, his concentration is much better. So he's doing a lot better with this opportunity to play than he did last time. Plus it might've helped him to go down to the minor leagues for a few days, because I don't think he wants to go back. That always kind of helps with motivation."