Gregory Polanco looks inside his hat whenever he's in search of mindfulness. There, written on the right side of each cap, is a two-word phrase: "Be You!" Scott Bonnett, the Pirates' longtime clubhouse manager, first spoke those words to Polanco last month.
At the time, Polanco, now in his fifth season with the Pirates, was gradually emerging from another valley in his star-crossed career. He batted only .192 with 42 strikeouts in 41 games from April 13 through June 5, a stretch he says was the result of putting too much pressure on himself and listening to too many outside voices.
Although moving a few inches off the plate has him better equipped to barrel up inside pitches, Polanco credited his improved self-awareness — at the plate and off the field — with helping him emerge from another difficult stretch in his career.
"I'm having fun again," Polanco told DKPittsburghSports.com at Progressive Field in Cleveland. "A couple months ago I was lost. Now I’ve got it back. There’s still a lot of work to do. But when I do something wrong, I feel it. A month ago I didn’t feel it."
Polanco, still only 26 years old, has batted .279 with a .987 OPS, 10 home runs and 33 RBIs in 41 games since moving further from the plate June 6. That's raised his season slash line to .236/.334/.497. He's hit a team-leading 18 home runs with 58 RBIs, posting a career-best 124 OPS+ in 93 games.
His 43 extra-base hits lead all National League outfielders, and he's hit safely in 20 of his last 25 games, batting .290 with nine home runs and 24 RBIs in that span. Polanco's driven in seven runs in his past five games, batting .306 in June and .234 with 17 RBIs in 20 games this month.
He was mired in an 0-for-9 slump entering Friday; however, his .500 slugging percentage still ranks sixth among NL outfielders. He's a key cog in the most productive outfield in the majors. Pirates outfielders rank first in the NL in OPS, slugging percentage, and batting average, while also tied for first in home runs. Yet, it was only two months ago Clint Hurdle was asked if the Pirates would consider sending Polanco back to Triple-A.
Starling Marte had just returned from the disabled list, and Austin Meadows was named NL Rookie of the Month for May after batting .409 with a 1.221 OPS in his first 13 games. Polanco, meanwhile, posted a .623 OPS with only three home runs and 10 RBIs in that mid-April to June slump. He went only 3-for-38 over the final two weeks of May.
With his long-awaited big-league debut four years ago, it was fair to wonder if he'd ever reach his limitless potential. The Pirates continued to seek a solution to his swing getting too long. The mechanical flaw isn't unusual for a player his size, but any progress was often followed with regression.
While hitting coach Jeff Branson created drills to address the problem, Polanco was not aware of when his swing would get long. He'd only find out if told by the coaching staff, or when watching film following a game. "It’s all about experience for me," Polanco said. "I’m mentally stronger. I’m trying to be me. When you listen to too many people, that’s when you get a little crazy. I’m trying to be me."
Listening to others negatively impacted Polanco in the past. Prior to last season, Polanco was told he needed to build upper-body strength in order to hit for more power. He hit a career-high 22 home runs with 86 RBIs in 2016, but he wanted to accomplish so much more.
So, he overhauled his workout regimen, and it led to a weaker core and lower body. A left hamstring injury led to three stints on the disabled list in 2017, limiting him to only 108 games. He slashed .251/.305/.391 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs. With the help of the Pirates, he revamped his workout regimen this past offseason, focusing on his core and lower body, as opposed to those upper-body-only workouts.
That plan has kept him on the field in 2018. Following each game, Polanco rides a stationary bike and lifts weights before jumping into the cold tub. His ascent is also the product of experience.
Polanco's had 2,098 big-league at-bats, which Hurdle credited for Polanco finally having a better understanding of when his swing is long and how to make a quick adjustment. "He’s become more intentional in everything he does in his prep work, his cage work," Hurdle said. "He’s trying to become a better player and a better hitter. ... He’s definitely taken control of his offensive game in a very positive fashion, in a very aggressive fashion. He’s letting it rip. Every once in a while he’s still getting that big swing and he recognizes it himself. He’s able to throttle down and just have a good, aggressive swing."
Polanco isn't cured of that problem. He's well aware of that. All of his peripherals are trending in the right direction following his move off the plate. Yet, his battle in the batter's box is as important as the internal tug-of-war he first encountered long before he reached the major leagues.
Now he's using the advice of a team employee to find himself whenever he feels lost.
"I want to remind myself: 'Be you,'" Polanco said. "When [Bonnett] told me that, I said, 'Man, I've gotta write that in my hats.' I keep looking at it every day. I have to try to be me. Not try to do too much. See it and swing it."