DENVER – For Trevor Story, it’s been a tale of two seasons. This time a year ago, he was practically a folk hero, slaying mighty dragons with a single swing of his bat and bringing joy to the townspeople in Coloradoville. The bards sang from high upon the mountains, spreading the word of his mythical deeds. In the wild lands of the West, his name became legend as he battled Snakes and Giants and whatever the hell a Dodger is. Parents and grandparents told their children and grandchildren the tale’s and they only grew in their outlandishness and splendor. Everyone knew the story of Story.
But the passage of time is a cruel mistress to us all.
One trip around the sun and the hero who became a legend was starting to look like a goat (not a G.O.A.T.) as fans grew concerned that he had been exposed, that he was striking out too much, and that we could be in for the dreaded sophomore slump.
His last few games have tempered such talk a bit. Over his last seven games, he is hitting .320 with three homes runs and nine RBI, including the big grand slam that put the Rockies on top of Johnny Cueto and the Giants over the weekend.
As he and his coaches and his teammates kept assuring us it would, Story’s bat is coming around. Yes, he is still projected to strike out approximately 235 times this season but he’s also on pace to hit 32 home runs and drive in 90, which the Rockies will absolutely take from their seven-hole hitter, especially when you consider the improvements he has made defensively.
While everyone seems to be looking for the guy who became one of the most feared hitters in the game after just a week of service time, they’ve been missing the guy who still carries all that power potential but has made himself into a commodity even when he isn’t standing in the batter’s box.
“He’s steady,” manager Bud Black told BSN Denver before getting into the details in a fashion only he can:
“You guys saw last year I assume and this year I was impressed right away with Trev during spring training. Actually, before spring training because he spent the winter down in Scottsdale in our omplex working out. He was making plays at shortstop well before spring training. What I saw [there] as far as his work ethic, I saw just a very steady reliable defender with a plus arm and the ability to make some spectacular plays. There’s been a couple of plays up the middle that have been really, really good. And a couple of slow rollers that have been really good. The play that we haven’t seen but I’m sure we’re gonna see it is the play in the hole where he goes and gets the ball and exhibits that cannon. I don’t remember what your question was now, be he’s a good defender.”
It’s still very early for defensive stats, but according to baseball-reference.com, Story has (slightly) increased his range factor and his total zone fielding. On the more traditional stats, Story has (again slightly) a better fielding percentage so far this season as well. He got off to a slow start defensively last season, which went unnoticed as we were all clamoring around to watch him launch baseballs into orbit. But he has been much more sure-handed so far this season.
He’s shown willingness to draw a walk and that when he does make contact, the ball goes really far. Eight of his 13 hits this season have been either doubles or home runs. So despite the .188 batting average he still has a .702 OPS. Players have succeeded with that kind of profile before. Carlos Pena, in particular, comes to mind. Like Pena, Story is making the absolute most of the hits he does get and is providing outstanding defense in between. Unlike Pena, Story is doing so at the premium shortstop position which is even more valuable.
And all of that is still being weighed down by his dreadful start which Story seems to quickly be putting in the rear-view mirror. So maybe it’s a bit early to put him squarely in the “feast or famine” category.
“I trust and believe in the work that I’m putting in,” Story told us about his development in all aspects of the game. And that work allowed him to be an asset to his club even while his bat was still arriving late to the 2017 regular season.
Of course, whatever value Story has given has been enough for the first-place Rockies so far.
“We’re playing tough games and coming out on top,” he says. “I think that’s the sign of a good team.”
After his last seven games, the bards and songstresses are warming up their pipes again. It may be time to start singing of the tale of Story once more. And while the chapters where mighty swings slay Giants will always be the most exciting, it’s important to remember to have “steady” hands on the long journey.
