Pinch-hitting machine keeps Kang busy
“The Pinch-Hitting Machine” now goes on the road with the Pirates, and rookie Korean infielder Jung Ho Kang is putting it to good use.
The high-velocity pitching machine that the Pirates began using last season is part of an extensive pinch-hitting package designed to help batters prepare for late-game situations against hard-throwing relievers.
That is proving beneficial for Kang, who signed with the Pirates for four years and $11 million as a free agent in January following a nine-year, 902-game career in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), in helping him to adjust preparing to face major league pitching.
Kang is trying to become the first native Korean position player to make the jump from the KBO to the major leagues.
“He’s getting acclimated,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said.
Kang, 28, was 9-for-45 (.200) with three doubles, a triple, two homers and five RBI in 18 games in spring training. He was a career .298 hitter in Korea, leading the KBO with 40 home runs and a 1.198 OPS last season while winning the league’s MVP honor.
For now, Kang is relying heavily on his teammates to learn how to adjust to a bench role. He is serving as a utility infielder and did not start any of the first three games. He grounded out as a pinch hitter Wednesday night at Cincinnati in his major league debut.
“We’ve communicated with him, position players who’ve had experience have communicated with him,” Hurdle said. “We’ve put him through the same prep program for our pinch hitters that we had last year since we put the pinch-hitting package in as far as speed and velocity off the machine.”
n n n
It should not have been a surprise that Todd Frazier spoiled opening day for the Pirates.
The third baseman’s three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning off Tony Watson lifted the Reds to a 5-2 victory on Monday at Great American Ball Park.
Frazier has hit 13 home runs in 161 plate appearances against the Pirates since the start of the 2013 season. No other opponent had even half that many home runs going into Saturday night’s game against the Brewers at Milwaukee.
Reds first baseman Joey Votto and Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez have six apiece while Reds right fielder Jay Bruce and Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo have five each.
Fittingly, center fielder Andrew McCutchen accounted for both of the Pirates’ runs with a two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning that tied the score at 2-2. McCutchen’s 11 homers in 178 plate appearances are the most by a Reds’ opponent since the start of the 2013 while Pirates second baseman Neil Walker is second with 10.
n n n
There are more players among the Pirates’ top 10 prospects who are still at extended spring training than at any of the four full-season farm clubs.
When minor league camp broke last Sunday, left-hander Stephen Tapley (No. 10) and right-handers Jameson Taillon (No. 2) and Mitch Keller (No. 7) remained behind in Bradenton, Fla.
Tapley missed his final two spring starts with an undisclosed injury and will join low Class A West Virginia when healthy. Taillon continues to recover from Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery and will likely be assigned to Class AAA Indianapolis by early May.
The Pirates decided to keep Keller in extended spring in order to manage the 18-year-old’s innings. He will go to either short season West Virginia or the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Pirates in June.