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[Bleacher Report] Korean star Kang Jung-ho may be much better than advertised

March 16, 2015

 

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Jung Ho Kang, of South Korea, left, visits with Steve Lombardozzi while waiting to participate in a base running drill before a spring training exhibition baseball game against the New York Yankees in Bradenton, Fla., Thursday, March 5, 2015. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Jung Ho Kang, of South Korea, left, visits with Steve Lombardozzi while waiting to participate in a base running drill before a spring training exhibition baseball game against the New York Yankees in Bradenton, Fla., Thursday, March 5, 2015. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

[BLEACHER REPORT]

Be warned that we’re about to drift into Spring Training Overreaction Territory. Because the spring exhibition season is hardly the most telling proving grounds, the nice things we’re about to say Jung Ho Kang could certainly be rendered moot before long.

That said, here goes nothing: Kang could end up being pretty good, you guys.

Admittedly, the look we’ve gotten at the 27-year-old shortstop from South Korea this spring has been brief. Also admittedly, this is an awkward time to be singing his praises. Kang collected an 0-fer in Tuesday’s contest against the Tampa Bay Rays, dropping his spring average to .182 in five games.

Before that, however, Kang did have a 1.083 OPS through four games. That was only 115 points off the 1.198 OPS he posted in his 40-homer campaign with the Nexen Heroes of the Korean Baseball Organization in 2014. Clearly, his offensive talent was translating to Major League Baseball just fine!

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One Comment

  1. Pointman DMZ patrol

    March 19, 2015 at 2:34 AM

    Kang Jung-ho will do very well in Pittsburgh. Korean baseball players are in fantastic physical condition because Koreans have a healthy diet that’s not full of saturated fat. Kang will become one of the best in baseball.

    Reply