Consistency is the Key for PCA After Up-and-Down Breakout Season
MESA, Ariz. -- A pivotal piece of advice from Nico Hoerner resonated deeply with Pete Crow-Armstrong throughout the offseason. While Crow-Armstrong's breakout season was marked by impressive statistics, including 30 homers, 30 doubles, and 30 steals, the Cubs center fielder recognized the importance of consistency in his performance.
The 23-year-old acknowledged that the second half of his season was less than stellar, with a fade that impacted his overall performance. Had the season unfolded differently, with a challenging first half followed by a strong finish, Crow-Armstrong believes he would have viewed his achievements differently.
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"If I hit 25 homers in the second half, I’m probably pretty freakin’ happy,” Crow-Armstrong said. "It doesn’t matter how I do it. I did what I did last year. It’s just about doing more of it next year. I don’t know how it’s going to happen. I don’t know how it’s going to play out. But it’s about the work I put in now. That’s fun to do."
Crow-Armstrong's outgoing personality and dynamic style of play propelled him to stardom as a focal point of the Cubs' postseason team last year. However, the team's goal this spring is to find a way to reduce the dramatic peaks and valleys in his performance.
In the first half, Crow-Armstrong showcased his perfect-world scenario, launching 25 homers with a .544 slugging percentage and an .846 OPS. His defense and speed further solidified his position near the top of MLB's WAR leaderboard. However, after the break, his OPS plummeted to .634, largely due to a rough August (.160/.216/.230 slash line).
Cubs assistant hitting coach John Mallee has been instrumental in Crow-Armstrong's swing development since his days in Triple-A Iowa. The outfielder sought guidance from Mallee and Ben Martin, the Cubs' assistant director of Major League development, to identify the issues with his swing.
"We just noticed when [his] setup was out of whack,” Crow-Armstrong said. "And when there was a lack of consistency with [his] setup, issues with swing decisions became more pronounced."
Crow-Armstrong's swing rate (59.5%) was the highest among qualified hitters, and he ranked third in both outside-zone swings (45.6%) and swinging-strike rate (16.0%). While aggressiveness is one of his offensive strengths, it became more challenging to harness as his mechanics eroded down the stretch.
Mallee explained, "Earlier in the year, all of his patterns were smaller. His stride was shorter. His separation with his hands was shorter. And as the season grew, and he had a lot of success, he started to get out of his normal patterns. He started striding too far and getting a little too stretched out, which increased his swing-and-miss in the zone."
Over the offseason, Crow-Armstrong focused on stepping into the box the same way for every practice swing, a routine that has been noticeable in live batting practice sessions this spring. He has crafted a precise routine from his footwork to how many times he taps the bat on his back shoulder, ensuring consistency in his setup.
"It’s just repping out the setup numerous, numerous times, so I can let the swing play,” Crow-Armstrong said. "The buzz phrase surrounding Crow-Armstrong right now is ‘swing decisions’ as he tries to find a way to improve his on-base percentage (.287) from last season. If the mechanics are in line, pitch recognition usually follows. Mallee also pointed out that Crow-Armstrong’s increasing experience with MLB pitchers will only continue to help with game-planning and execution."
While no one is specifically focusing on Crow-Armstrong's walk rate (4.5%), drawing more walks would be a natural byproduct of aligning these other concepts. Cubs manager Craig Counsell emphasized, "It’s just, ‘Improve.’ It’s not [one] thing. It’s, ‘Just keep improving as an offensive player.’ And it can be a little in that area. It can be a little better swing path. It can be a little better pitch-to-pitch emotional regulation. All of those things. Just keep all of those things improved."
When it all comes together for Crow-Armstrong, the sky's the limit. Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman believes he can do anything on a baseball field. This spring, the focus is on consistency, and with the right approach, Crow-Armstrong is poised to take his game to the next level.
