He's only played in four major-league games over the span of a week, but Billy Cook has already learned quite a bit about what this level of baseball has to offer. A big-league stint that began with a Sept. 8 call up and a two-hit, two-RBI debut against the Nationals the same day has included both highs and lows for the 25 year old.
"It's a jump and it takes a little adjusting," Cook said following the Pirates' 5-1 loss to the Royals Saturday afternoon at PNC Park. "Trying to keep it simple. It's the same game, maybe guys are just a little sharper, a little more consistent. Kind of refining approaches, swing mechanics, just those little things that will help you make that jump."
While Cook made a good first impression in his first opportunity as a big leaguer, one that displayed what he's capable of bringing to the table from both an offensive and defensive perspective, he's now experiencing the inevitable growing pains any young player goes through when making the jump from the minor leagues.
Cook, who impressed with a .276 average, five home runs and 21 RBIs in 30 games with Class AAA Indianapolis after being acquired from the Orioles at the trade deadline, has gone hitless with four strikeouts since his debut. He's 0 for 10 over his last three starts, including Saturday's in which he went 0 for 3 with two of the team's 13 strikeouts. Like he did against Washington, Cook had a chance to be a run producer in the sixth inning as two runners were on with two outs. He was able to make hard contact on a sweeper in the zone from Royals reliever John Schreiber, but he lined it right at third baseman Maikel Garcia for the final out of the inning.
"It looks like he's a little more tentative," Derek Shelton said. "In the first game, he was a little more aggressive, and I think we got to get back to that aggressiveness. His last at-bat, the little line drive he hit to third was a good swing. But, earlier it looked like he was a little in between."
For Cook to get back to where he knows he can be, he said it all goes back to maintaining a simple approach and making sure he's swinging at strikes and taking close pitches. In the first of his two at-bats in which he struck out against Royals starter Michael Wacha, Cook succeeded in swinging at pitches that were strikes, but he couldn't connect on a first-pitch cutter at the top of the zone or an 0-2 changeup that Wacha spotted perfectly on the outer edge and lower part of the zone:
Then, when the two matched up again in the fifth, Cook managed to work his way into a 2-2 count, but two swings at pitches out of the zone -- including one final changeup low and outside -- led to him once again being retired via a strikeout:
During his time playing for Class AAA Norfolk and Indy this season, Cook was swinging at pitches outside of the zone at a 29% and 25.5% rate, respectively. So far through a much smaller sample of games with the Pirates, Cook has tried to go out and get outside pitches at a 44% rate.
Cook certainly isn’t just leaving the bat on his shoulders. He’s going up to the plate with the intention of hitting the ball, which is an encouraging sign considering the amount of times Pirates hitters seem to be striking out with a two-strike approach that involves not swinging the bat. But, as is the case with any young player making this particular leap in levels, Cook understands he needs to find a balance between being aggressive and being patient at the plate.
"If you're swinging at bad pitches, you'll get yourself out, so kind of start there," Cook said. "Mechanically everything's been good getting here, so not changing anything, but maybe just tighten a couple of things up just to maybe get to how they're going to attack you."
Cook has benefitted from the advice offered to him by veterans within the clubhouse, including a certain first baseman who occupies the locker next to him in Rowdy Tellez. Cook has seemingly embraced the opportunity to interact with and learn from teammates who have been in the big leagues for a while and have experienced the same challenges he's currently facing.
"Take it to heart and take it to the field," he said.
It's clear that from an offensive and defensive standpoint, the Pirates could have a player here with the ability to help them now and in the future. He's proven that this season when he slashed .275/.375/.474 with 17 home runs and 74 RBIs through 115 minor-league games between Class AA Bowie, Norfolk and Indy. He proved that with the immediate impact he had in picking up a two-run double in his first big-league at-bat and the constant defensive plays he's managed to make at multiple positions over the past week, including first base and right field.
While he may or may not find better results over these final two weeks of the season, there will be value in the experience he'll get playing in the big leagues rather than sticking with the club down in Indy. As Shelton said when I mentioned this during his postgame press conference, getting younger players that exposure is important. That's especially the case when there's a chance they could potentially play a significant role in the near future. Still, regardless of how these remaining games play out, Cook understands the importance of remaining confident and working through the ups, the downs and the overall grind associated with playing and adjusting at the highest level.
"Can never lose confidence no matter what," he said. "That's been a common theme that's been said, so just keep the confidence and keep going."
