Bourn still adjusting to NL parks

Houston (38-39) at San Francisco (42-36), 9:15 p.m. CT

Brian McTaggart / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- In his third full season in the Major Leagues and second as a starter, Astros center fielder Michael Bourn is still feeling his away around the National League when it comes to playing defense.

He certainly knows how to navigate Tal's Hill at Minute Maid Park and understands how well the ball carries in Cincinnati, but things can be trickier at some of the parks in which Bourn hasn't played as many games in as he has while making the rounds in the NL Central.

That's why Bourn will make it a point to take some fly balls during batting practice prior to Friday's series opener at AT&T Park in San Francisco against the Giants, just like he did before the first game Houston's just-completed four-game series in San Diego.

Bourn has started only three games at AT&T Park, all last year.

"The right-center gap has a funny angle, and the balls kicks off the right-field wall differently," Bourn said. "The first day you get there, you need to take some fly balls and see how the ball kicks off the wall and take it from there. And the wind can be tricky when it blows off the water right behind the field. We'll see what goes on."

After taking some lumps last year on offense in his first season in Houston, Bourn has blossomed this year into the player the Astros hoped they would get when they traded, among others, Brad Lidge to the Phillies following the 2007 season.

Bourn entered Thursday hitting .289 following a 1-for-14 slump, but he led the NL in steals (25), triples (six) and infield hits (20). One of the fastest players in the game, Bourn's speed has helped him develop into a top-notch defensive player, too.

Bourn made a terrific catch on Tal's Hill on June 11 in which he backpedaled, fell on his rear and caught the ball on the incline to rob the Cubs' Micah Hoffpauir of a hit.