BRADENTON, Fla. — Jordy Mercer's time in the on-deck circle is unlike most players'. In addition to keeping an eye on what an opposing pitcher is throwing, Mercer runs through a number of scenarios in his head. A single by the current batter will drastically change his own at-bat, and the same goes for any number of outcomes.
Mercer has spent most of his career as the No. 8 hitter in the Pirates' order — a spot that is described as the most difficult in a National League lineup. Hitting in front of the pitcher in the order means he often doesn't see quality pitches to hit. After all, the pitcher on the on-deck circle is typically an easy out.
Despite those challenges, Mercer has proven to be a difficult out, which is why Clint Hurdle named him to the eight-spot before the Pirates' leadoff hitter was even announced. That effectiveness didn't come easily, though.
"It definitely takes a few years, a lot of at-bats," Mercer explained. "It takes a lot of situations over and over. The best thing about it that I’ve learned is I go through my routine, my scenarios on deck. That’s what prepares me. I’m thinking, ‘What if he hits a single here? WShat if he hits a double here? Here’s what I think he’s going to do.'"
Mercer has been there for at least 70 games in each of the past four seasons, hitting for a career .253/.326/.370 slash line in that spot. In previous years, Hurdle would often bat Mercer leadoff against left-handed starting pitchers because of his success against southpaws. However, Mercer spent only 12 games there in 2017, and he demonstrated his value at the bottom of the lineup with a larger volume of at-bats.
Last season, he batted .284/.375/.462 with seven home runs in 26 RBI with 37 strikeouts to 32 walks in the eight-spot, despite the Pirates' pitchers having 33 hits in 278 at-bats. To compare, the league average for a No. 8 hitter was .247/.316/.391 last season.
That success came after years of struggles, though.
Mercer, a third-round draft pick in 2006, batted second or third in the order for much of his minor-league career. However, he "cut his teeth," as Hurdle described it, batting eighth upon being recalled by the Pirates in 2012. The results were grim. He batted just .179/.226/.357 in 31 plate appearances that season.
He was given the full-time job at both shortstop and in the eight-hole in 2014 and again, produced uneven results with a .637 OPS in 243 plate appearances.
"I remember swinging at everything, getting nothing to hit, even in hitters’ counts," Mercer said. "It’s one of the most frustrating things. It’s 2-0, 3-1, you’re supposed to get a cookie and you’re not. You have to be patient, but you have to be ready to hit, too."
Mercer improved with more at-bats, though. He raised his batting average in the eight-spot in each of the next three seasons, and he hit a career-high 14 home runs in 2017. But his progress goes far beyond a box score. Mercer's plate discipline has improved, and he's making contact on pitches both in and out of the zone.
Last season, he ranked third among NL shortstops in contact on pitches inside the zone and fourth on pitches outside the zone, according to FanGraphs. Additionally, Mercer ranked first among all major league shortstops with the fewest first-pitch strikes against. Getting ahead of the count helped him rank fourth in both on-base percentage and walk-to-strikeout ratio.
Mercer finished the season — his fifth full year in the major leagues — with a .255/.326/.406 slash line in 145 games. Despite spring training coming to a close, Hurdle has remained mum about his batting lineup. But he revealed to reporters two spots on his lineup card against NL opponents: Josh Bell at cleanup and Mercer in the eight-hole.
"It's a very valuable position in the lineup when you've got a veteran that knows how to do it," Hurdle said. "Jordy's worked through it. He's cut teeth on it. I don't think anybody gets to the big leagues and says, 'Boy, eighth, yay!' ... Now, he's actually using it as a plus. He's aware. He's got a conviction zone there that's real. He's not comfortable there, but he likes the cat-and-mouse."
Chad Kuhl described pitching to the No. 8 hitter as challenging, especially with two outs, because there is pressure to get a final out so the pitcher has to lead off the following inning, and he has first-hand experience with the type of impact Mercer can have in that spot.
"You take the eighth guy seriously because depending on where you’re at, you want the pitcher to lead off the next inning," Kuhl said. "I think for an eight-hitter the reason it’s so hard is because it can be so different. He can get danced around to get to a pitcher, or he can go right after him with two outs so the pitcher leads off next inning. I think that spot is really tough because of all the different things people might do to him."
Although Mercer is entrenched there, he'll likely bat ninth during the Pirates' opening series in Detroit because of the use of a designated hitter and he'll return to his spot once NL play begins. Now one of the longest-tenured players on the roster, he takes pride in his success in the eight-hole and continues to embrace the challenge.
"It’s an art," Mercer said. "I think it’s one of the toughest spots to hit in baseball because there’s a fine line between being aggressive and being selective, because you know the pitcher is hitting behind you. It’s very, very tough."