Goldschmidt adjusting to life in the Majors

By Anthony Fenech / MLB.com | 08/07/11

PHOENIX -- A week into his Major League career, Paul Goldschmidt has been more a sponge than a first baseman.

"I'm just trying to pick up on anything I can," the 23-year-old said. "There's just a bunch of little things, whether it's hitting or defense or baserunning, that I'm trying to learn from all the guys."

After being called up last Monday, Goldschmidt recorded his first career hit off Matt Cain that night, and on Tuesday, he hit his first career home run off Tim Lincecum during a crucial series win over the Giants.

"That's probably the best part," he said of the race to win the National League West. "Being up here and so close to winning the division, it's going to be a battle for the rest of the year, so that's fun."

In 18 at-bats entering Sunday, Goldschmidt is hitting .222 with four hits, a pair of walks and eight strikeouts.

"You're not going to see that many mistakes up here, and they're just so much more consistent," he said. "You might get your one pitch to hit, foul it off, and then it's a battle from there."

D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said that the biggest adjustment to the big leagues comes off the field versus on.

"The first thing he's got to do is adjust to daily life in the big leagues," Gibson said. "Then you have to understand how they're going to pitch to you and you're going to have to make some adjustments at the plate and in the field.

"You can't teach a guy in a day."