Think about who has been the best position player in the National League over the past three years, and Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen probably sits at the top of the list.
After all, he has finished in the top three in the MVP voting in each of the past three years, including winning the coveted award in 2013. He has hit at least .300 with at least 20 home runs and 18 stolen bases in those years, and he trails only Mike Trout in accumulated WAR since 2012, per FanGraphs.
Which is why it was so surprising that McCutchen experienced an absolutely awful start to the 2015 season. After going 1-for-4 against the Cincinnati Reds on May 6th, his batting average sat at a putrid .188. But, as they say, it is only a matter of time before a good hitter finds his way out of a slump.
Well, in McCutchen’s case, that adage is on point. He recorded three hits the next night, ended up hitting .330 in the month of May, .337 in June, .287 in July, and now his .299/.395/.520 slash line is very McCutchen-like.
How did he do it?
First off, he was likely dealing with some bad habits that he formed while playing through an aching knee at the beginning of the season. In an article by Jeff Sullivan of FanGraphs, he points out that McCutchen was not transferring his weight as effectively this year as he has in the past, and that may have been a reason why he struggled. Looking at video of his swing in early June, it looked very similar to swings from years past than swings in April.
Also, he did a tremendous job of staying calm through his slump, allowing himself to work out of it and not letting it snowball to the point of negatively affecting other areas of his game or his teammates.
“I’m sick and tired of going 0-for-freaking-4,” McCutchen told reporters after going hitless on May 5th. “It ain’t fun taking right turns when you’re used to taking left ones.
“I take full responsibility for how we’re playing, and I know I’m a big part of it. I’m not doing what I should be doing for the money that I’m making.”
Fast forward to the All-Star Game weekend, and McCutchen was singing a similar tune.
“I know what I’m capable of doing, even with a slow start,” McCutchen said via Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post. “It can be frustrating, but I’m not going to have pity on myself. I’m just going to keep going out and working, and know that my preparation and everything that I do that things are going to turn for me and change. I have played long enough where I’m not going to hit the panic button. Just do that Staples ‘Easy’ button and just ride it on out.”
That is exactly the right attitude to have when playing a game like baseball, where even the greatest players of all-time typically fail 7-out-of-10 times. McCutchen’s approach was not lost upon his teammates.
“That [April slump] was the first real hole he’s stepped in,” said right-hander A.J. Burnett, per Svrluga. “But you know what? He didn’t dig it. He didn’t keep digging it. He stayed as calm as he could. I don’t think he pressed one bit. I think he took his time and got his body where it needed to be where he could get back to playing like ‘Cutch.’”
Seemingly the only thing ‘Cutch’ hasn’t been able to accomplish is lead the Buccos to a playoff series victory. Though they have made the postseason in each of the past two seasons – qualifying for the one-game Wild Card playoff both times – they have yet to make it past the NLDS since 1992.
Maybe this year, things will be different.
Through August 12th, the Pirates are sitting comfortably in the first National League Wild Card slot. They have a good enough record that if they played in any other division, except the AL Central, they would be in first place. But they can’t change the fact that they play in the most competitive division in all of baseball, and that is just something that they will have to overcome if they hope to advance to the postseason and make a run.
Whatever happens, you can bet on McCutchen finishing the season strong.
He has scorched the ball all season long – his blistering average exit velocity of 91.52 mph is the 15th highest among players with at least 200 at-bats, according to Baseball Savant – and there is nothing that suggests he won’t keep hitting it hard for the remainder of the season.
McCutchen is one of the elite players in Major League Baseball. He is a true five-tool player with incredible mental toughness and a terrific approach to the game.
He may have started the season slowly, but going in to the final quarter of the season, count on ‘Cutch’ to take the Pirates on his back and ensure them a spot in the postseason. They will probably not catch the Cardinals for the division crown, but playing in their third straight Wild Card game would be nothing to sneeze at.
We already knew that McCutchen was a phenomenal talent and one of the best players in the game. Now we know that he can fight through adversity and come back better than ever, which is a skill that will serve him well going through the dog days of August and September.
And, most importantly, October, where Pittsburgh baseball is becoming a staple.