Faces on the Field: Justin Ruggiano

Mickey Mantle played his final game 14 years before Justin Ruggiano even drew a breath. Yet, in an age where Ken Griffey Jr., Kirby Puckett and Tony Gwynn were dominating the baseball landscape, it was No. 7 who captured Ruggiano's attention.

Ruggiano's dad, Larry, grew up in New York before settling in Texas, and his affection for Mantle was just one of those things a father passed on to his son. Perhaps it was tales of Mantle's tape-measure homers or his World Series heroics that inspired Ruggiano. Whatever affects "The Mick" and his dad had on him proved to be positive ones because Ruggiano is garnering attention on his own as one of the top outfield prospects in the Dodgers' organization.

"I read books about Mickey Mantle even though he wasn't playing," said Ruggiano, who was a 24th-round draft pick by Los Angeles in 2004. "I watched what he did in the past, and it was very impressive to me. The team that was closest to me was the Texas Rangers, and I idolized Nolan Ryan, too. I tried to do everything like Nolan Ryan."

Ruggiano, who pitched through his freshman year of junior college (which, incidentally, he attended in Mantle's home state of Oklahoma), may not have Ryan's fastball or Mantle's gift for superstardom, but he has shown enough to make the Dodgers happy with his progress. He was hitting .254 through 37 games with Double-A Jacksonville, connecting for five homers and 22 RBIs. Considering that he started the season hitting .136 (3-for-22), he's more than a little pleased with the way his season has developed.

"I started off real slow this year because I was pull-happy and trying to hit everything to the left side," said Ruggiano, who combined to hit .323 with 15 homers and 66 RBIs while splitting last season between Class A Advanced Vero Beach and Jacksonville. "Eventually, I started sitting back and hitting the ball where it was pitched more. I just want to find a groove where I'm comfortable all the time. It's all about finding that groove and staying in it.

"I don't want to make excuses, but hitting behind in the count is always tough. When I feel like I'm taking good pitches and they're called strikes, it's tough. When you're hitting with one strike or no strikes it's a totally different side of the spectrum. I've been trying to swing at more first pitches. Hopefully, that will be a better philosophy for me."

John Shoemaker was Ruggiano's manager last season when he got promoted to the Suns and watched as he hit .342 over the final 53 games of the season. Shoemaker is running the show in Jacksonville again this year and, though Ruggiano's production is down, he says he sees little difference in his right fielder.

Shoemaker pointed to the work Ruggiano is doing with hitting coach Mike Easler. The two have been trying to get Ruggiano to stay through the ball when he swings rather than lift it, and the work appears to be paying dividends. Shoemaker said Ruggiano is playing with a great deal of confidence, knowing he can compete at the Double-A level.

"He had a good work ethic last year, but now he sees in order to stay in Double-A or go higher he has to work to better his skills," Shoemaker said. "But he's shown a great work ethic."

In fairness, Ruggiano's going to have more than a great work ethic if he's going to advance in Los Angeles' system. Teammate Matt Kemp is tearing it up at Jacksonville, as is Tony Abreu. Top prospect Andy LaRoche is also playing for Jacksonville and Andre Ethier, whom the Dodgers acquired in an offseason deal with Oakland, was recently promoted to the Major Leagues.

"It's by no means a good thing if I'm flying under the radar," Ruggiano said. "I've been noticed by some guys in our front office, and they've taken a liking to how I'm playing. I want to get noticed, and I want to get to the top. If I keep flying under the radar, it's not good for my career.

"I feel like I can play at any level they put me at. It may take some adjustments and some getting used to, but I always feel like I can adjust to my surroundings. When you move to the big leagues or Triple-A, if you're thrown a curve ball or a breaking ball, it's still a curve ball and you have to adjust to it."

One Major League scout who saw Ruggiano recently said he liked his athleticism, but he didn't think the numbers he's put up in the past are something he can maintain as he moves up the ladder.

"He's a good athlete and plays hard, but it just didn't click when I saw him," the scout said.

Fortunately for Ruggiano, neither he nor the Dodgers agree with that assessment. And he's hoping to justify the front office's faith in him as the season progresses.