Matt Olson versus a pitching machine isn’t a fair fight. The A's first baseman feasts upon its meaty offerings, driving one pitch after another sometimes high, often far and always hit hard.
Human error can lead to a squirrely result here and there even in batting practice. Except when Olson finds his rhythm. Watching his smooth, seemingly effortless swing long enough can create false logic that hitting a baseball comes easy. It isn’t. The MVP-caliber hitter just makes it look that way.
Raw talent, coordination, a keen eye for the strike zone and an unflappable demeanor have created an ideal modern hitter advanced metrics love, someone who arguably is the A's biggest threat in an everyday lineup that also features Marcus Semien and Matt Chapman.