<p>Ryan Langerhans and Chipper Jones have an agreement when they meet for offseason hunting trips: No baseball talk.</p><p>Langerhans says he's glad Jones broke that rule this offseason.</p><p>Jones and 2006 All-Star catcher Brian McCann each have used a foot-tapping timing device as a key for hitting success with the Atlanta Braves. Jones suggested Langerhans, who hit .241 last season, might try the same move as he competes for the starting job in left field this spring.</p><p>The chat with Jones convinced Langerhans, who says he received the same advice from McCann late last season.</p><p>"I was talking with McCann about it because I wasn't staying back on the ball," Langerhans said. "Then I talked to Chipper about it when we were hunting, even though we try not to talk about baseball when we're out there."</p><p>Langerhans, 27, practiced the tap step through the winter so he'd be ready to put the timing mechanism to use in spring training.</p><p>So far, so good.</p><p>Langerhans is hitting .378 with two homers this spring as he competes with Matt Diaz and Craig Wilson for at least a share of the starting job in left field.</p><p>Braves manager Bobby Cox says he has noticed the change in Langerhans' swing.</p><p>"He's hitting about .400," Cox said. "He looks good to me. He's hit the ball hard. He's hit a hard .400."</p><p>Langerhans and the Braves had an off day Tuesday.</p><p>The left-handed hitting Langerhans briefly lifts his right foot in the batter's box and then sets it back down, thereby keeping his momentum from moving forward too quickly.</p><p>"I think it helps him to stay back," said Braves hitting coach Terry Pendleton. "Basically, it's the same thing (Jones and McCann) do to make sure they keep their weight back."</p><p>Wilson, a right-handed hitter, could platoon with left-handed hitting rookie Scott Thorman at first base.</p><p>That arrangement could leave Langerhans and Diaz with most of the playing time in left field.</p><p>Diaz hit .327 last season and earned the majority of the starts late in the year as Langerhans slumped to .207 in August and .238 in September and October. Diaz committed four errors but played better defensively than some expected.</p><p>Diaz is a right-handed hitter, but a platoon with Diaz and Langerhans in which Langerhans would play against right-handed pitchers doesn't necessarily make sense. Langerhans hit only .232 against right-handers and .308 against left-handers last season.</p><p>Diaz hit .358 against right-handers and .295 against left-handers.</p><p>Langerhans hit only seven homers and drove in only 28 runs in 326 at-bats last season. In his last minor league season, he hit .298 with 20 homers with 72 RBIs for Triple-A Richmond in 2004.</p><p>Langerhans (6-3, 205) says the new tap could add more pop to his swing.</p><p>"I think it will help me," he said. "I've noticed I'm driving the ball this spring. Last year I felt I was slapping the ball. Before I think I'd get all my weight on my front foot. That little step is getting me back on my back foot."</p><p>Left field may not be Langerhans' permanent home. Next season he may be the favorite to succeed Andruw Jones in center field. Jones can be a free agent after the 2007 season and may be too expensive for the Braves.</p><p>Langerhans' strength is his defense; he has only two career errors in 276 games. Langerhans must lift his batting average to play regularly anywhere in the outfield, but his defense would carry more weight in center.</p><p>"I try not to think about it because I'd like to see Andruw stay with us," Langerhans said. "He's obviously the top center fielder in the game. I've always taken pride in my defense. I try to get better and Andruw is a guy who has helped me with that."</p><p>Langerhans may be the Braves' second-best defensive outfielder, but he says there's a big gap between No. 2 and Andruw Jones, who has won nine straight Gold Glove Awards.</p><p>"Anybody who plays center field here after Andruw is done, whoever it is, is going to have a very high bar set for them," Langerhans said.</p><p>For now, the competition is in left field. Cox says he's studying all options.</p><p>"It's in good hands," is the only answer about the position from Cox so far.</p><p>Thanks to his defense, Langerhans probably doesn't have to be the best hitter of the contenders to protect at least a share of the playing time. But he knows a .240 or .250 mark won't be good enough, and he says he hopes his new tap move boosts his production.</p><p>"Everybody wants to get as much playing time as they can," he said.</p><p>"I feel now I have a chance to show I can do more than I did last year."</p>
