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    How the 2019 Cape Cod League became a pivotal point in Cubs slugger Matt Mervis’ career

    CHICAGO — In the lead-up to the 2019 Cape Cod League season, a player landed on Mike Roberts’ radar. Roberts loves left-handed hitters. So when Duke coach Chris Pollard called to tell Roberts of a strong, athletic left-handed hitter Pollard wanted to send to him for the Cape Cod League, Roberts welcomed the opportunity to work with Matt Mervis. The first priority for Roberts, the Cotuit ...
    by Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune May 17, 2023 5 minutes
    The Cubs' Matt Mervis drives in a run with a single against the Marlins on May 4, 2023, at Wrigley Field.

    CHICAGO — In the lead-up to the 2019 Cape Cod League season, a player landed on Mike Roberts’ radar.

    Roberts loves left-handed hitters. So when Duke coach Chris Pollard called to tell Roberts of a strong, athletic left-handed hitter Pollard wanted to send to him for the Cape Cod League, Roberts welcomed the opportunity to work with Matt Mervis.

    The first priority for Roberts, the Cotuit Kettleers manager, was simply assessing, can Mervis hit? Roberts figured the two-way player always could go back to pitching if the hitting route didn’t pan out.

    But he wanted to get an idea of Mervis’ mechanics and skill set at the plate. One element of Mervis’ approach immediately stood out: a huge, problematic loop in his swing.

    “It was just a circle. He cut out on everything, so he never gave his hands a chance

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