LAKELAND, Fla. - Larry Bowa calls Cesar Hernandez "Little Man." It is a term of endearment and fraternity between smallish middle infielders; Hernandez is 5-10 and 160 pounds, about the same size Bowa was when he played.
Bowa never had a .371 on-base percentage like Hernandez did last season; his highest was .334. Only once in his 16 seasons did Bowa bat better than .294. But Bowa packed so much passion and heart into that small package that he became an All-Star five times, earned two Gold Gloves and helped win the Phillies' first World Series.