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Matt Olson versus a pitching machine isn’t a fair fight. The A's first baseman feasts upon its meaty offerings, driving one pitch after another sometimes high, often far and always hit hard.
Human error can lead to a squirrely result here and there even in batting practice. Except when Olson finds his rhythm. Watching his smooth, seemingly effortless swing long enough can create false logic that hitting a baseball comes easy. It isn’t. The MVP-caliber hitter just makes it look that way.
Raw talent, coordination, a keen eye for the strike zone and an unflappable demeanor have created an ideal modern hitter advanced metrics love, someone who arguably is the A's biggest threat in an everyday lineup that also features Marcus Semien and Matt Chapman.
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“He has pretty good leverage and a ton of power,” Athletics manager Bob Melvin said. “And, as important as anything, there’s no panic in him. Rarely do you see him show any emotion one way or the other. If you have a bad day at the big-league level, sometimes guys can really be affected by it. He doesn’t let any of that stuff get to him.”
That mindset also applies to the good stuff. He barely musters a shrug when discussing gaudy numbers that make Statcast aficionados swoon. Olson ranked among the top six percent in several 2019 metrics like barrel percentage and exit velocity and other totals that would take a lot of math to explain.
He hit more than 50 percent of his balls hard in 2019 – with an exit velocity at 95 mph or higher -- something only five other players did last year. All that looks good on a spreadsheet but doesn't move the needle in Olson's mind.
“If you hit the ball hard, your barrel percentage is going to be up,” Olson said. “The goal each time is to hit the ball hard. I don’t dig into the numbers, but they can be guidelines If you want to glance at them.”
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Olson doesn’t. He’s more of a feel hitter, trying to establish a good rhythm and hang on to it as long as possible. The 25-year-old enters this season as comfortable with his swing as he's ever been, trying to use spring training to find the strike zone and maintain discipline required to swing at pitches within it.
He always has been good at that, a valued trait in baseball today. Last year, for example, he only swung at 17 percent of pitches considered out of the zone, well below the MLB average of 24.
Olson doesn’t crunch numbers or pore over his own video. He doesn’t want to tinker or overthink whether things are going good or bad.
“I fall more on the feel side of hitting,” Olson said. “There are times to take a long look at the video and get mechanical with it, but there’s so much that goes into hitting than the swing itself. You have to take a look at the approach. There are a lot of factors at play, so I like to hold off on mechanical adjustments as long as possible.”
He made one back in 2017, upon advice from Oakland hitting coach Darren Bush. But, staying true to his nature, Olson didn’t map adjustments out before attempting them.
“My hands can get tied up behind my body and I realized I was working against myself,” Olson said. “I got into the cage and started messing around, trying to find a clearer path to the ball where I didn’t have to go around my body.”
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The solution looks a bit odd, with Olson moving his hands out and away from his body before moving back to the launch position. It took some time to find consistency with a swing that, this spring anyway, seems smooth and easily repeatable.
Olson says 2018 was a grind where he was struggled to find consistency, despite hitting .247 with 29 home runs and 84 RBI. That isn’t maximizing his great potential, which we saw more of when he hit .267 with 36 home runs and 91 RBI last season in 35 fewer games.
He missed significant time early last year recovering from a broken bone in his hand that can sap a hitter's power. However, it didn't seem to affect him as he quickly found a groove during what was his best season yet.
Olson never panicked when the game got a little harder. He isn’t standing taller now that he’s in a good place. That’s a natural part of his personality, one that suits him well while improving as a hitter.
“Getting pissed doesn’t always translate to good things in this line of work. Staying even keel is essential,” Olson said. “…It’s kind of how I am but it’s also how I have to be. When you play every day, you have to react to 5-for-5 and 0-for-5 the same way. You can’t carry it with you. You have to prepare hard for the next opportunity. It’s something you have to learn. There are times when emotions are a factor, but you have to do whatever you can to dial it back and move on to the next one.”