"Ryan Howard has the type of power that can produce oohs and aahs even on a batted ball that lands in foul territory. In the first inning of last night's game against the Mets, the slugger unleashed a tape-measure shot that landed in the third deck in rightfield, albeit to the right of the foul pole.

Although Howard ended up striking out, the Phillies are hopeful some slight changes he has made in his setup at the plate will put him in position to make better use of his prodigious power.

The 31-year-old first baseman was hesitant to discuss the changes after the Phillies' three-game sweep of the Astros this weekend, a series in which Howard went 7-for-13 with a home run, a double and six RBI. But a quick comparison of video of his stance in the final months of last season and the first four games of this season, suggests several modifications.

Saying Howard has moved closer to the plate - which he admitted to during spring training - is probably oversimplifying things.

First and foremost, Howard appears to be more square to the pitcher. Although his stance is still slightly open, his front foot is closer to the inner edge of the batter's box than it has been in the past. Howard's knees also appear to be bent deeper, leading to a more defined crouch than in the past. His hands look closer to the strike zone, resulting in a bat head that is less flat and more erect.

So far, the changes have produced some positive results. In a win over the Astros on Saturday, Howard hit a line-single up the middle on a Wandy Rodriguez curveball or slider on the outer-third of the plate. On Sunday, his three-run home run to dead centerfield came on a belt-high fastball that looked to be just off the plate.

But hitting coach Greg Gross said the biggest reason for Howards's early success is that he's being more selective at the plate."