In a season filled with mediocrity and bad baseball, there has been one bright spot for the Phillies: Maikel Franco.
Franco is turning heads with his bat since being called up on May 15. He earned the National League Rookie of the Month for June, his first full month as an everyday player in the majors.
And the 22-year-old is providing pop at the hot corner, while also playing a solid third base despite eight errors.
Though he's played in nearly 30 fewer games than Ryan Howard, Franco entered Saturday second on the team in home runs (10) and RBIs (34).
For the rookie third baseman who doesn't speak great English, Franco has a mentor in the locker room.
Andres Blanco, a utility infielder, was once in Franco's shoes and he's relishing the opportunity to serve as a mentor.
"Honestly? Yes, because at some point I was like him," the 31-year-old said on a recent episode of Comcast SportsNet's Phillies Clubhouse.
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"I was a prospect in my career. I was too young and I didn't know the language. And I said at some point in my life, if I have the opportunity to pass that, I just want to do it. I just want to give my best to teach him."
With the trade deadline approaching, it's hard to avoid rumors in the locker room, and with all the losing, it's even harder for a young player to stay focused.
So what does Blanco tell Franco to keep him on course?
"I make sure that he's not [thinking] too much on that stuff," he said. " I always tell him, 'Hey, it's the price you have to pay, the sacrifice you have to make.' Come to the weight room, that's when our day starts. The rest, it's just routine."
To hear more, watch the video above.