Jung Ho Kang participated in a minor league game Friday starting his comeback from Off-season knee surgery.
With the signing of David Freese this off-season, the Pittsburgh Pirates have a contingency plan just in case third baseman Jung Ho Kang isn't ready for the start of the regular season.
Kang has been doing baseball activities such as fielding ground balls, and facing batting practice pitching. However, he had not faced a live major league pitcher since last September.
That all changed Friday when Kang participated in a minor league game. He got two at-bats in the game and looked good at the plate. Kang's return to the major league lineup will be a big plus for the Pirates this season.
Last season, Kang defied all of the doubters who said he couldn't transition to the major leagues by being one of the offensive stars for the Pirates. He hit .287 with 15 home runs and 58 RBI.
Coming over from the Korean baseball league where he hit 40 home runs, he struggled at first in the majors but turned it on quickly and was an essential part to the 2015 lineup. Supplying protection for guys like Pedro Alvarez and Andrew McCutchen.
In 2016, I feel that Kang will be right back where he left off. He will hit in the fourth spot in the lineup helping to protect McCutchen. Kang's bat is one that can make up for the loss of power on the Pirates team this season, but he has to be healthy first in order to do that.
Kang also brings a lot to the field defensively. He had a .961 fielding percentage committing 9 errors over the course of the season. He did transition between short stop and third base last season.
Now having a solid position at third base will help him be more consistent in the field. Kang is never going to win a gold glove, but that won't stop him from helping the Pirates in 2016.
If Kang is not ready for opening day, David Freese will be the starting third baseman until Kang returns. Freese is another fine option to play third base. He won a world series MVP at the position back in the 2012 season.
It is still a long process until we see Kang back in major league games, but seeing live action on the field is a major step in the right direction. I have been a huge Jung Ho Kang fan since the day the Pirates signed him. He had great numbers in the Korean league and they transitioned nicely over to the MLB.
Kang will be an instrumental part to the 2016 Pittsburgh Pirates. He is going to bring some power to the plate and consistent hitting. Himself and McCutchen will be the two leaders on this team as the Pirates try to get past the wild card game and deep into the playoffs here in 2016.
No comments:
Post a Comment