Jung-Ho Kang takes his cuts in a Pirate City batting cage Sunday. — DEJAN KOVACEVIC
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
BRADENTON, Fla. — The ball rocketed off the bat of Jung-Ho Kang with such authority, such trajectory that one of two things seemed bound to happen as it carved through the air at Pirate City: It was either going to clear the left-field fence or require building a new one.
“Oh, my,” you could hear from coach Dave Jauss on the mound. He threw the pitch, and he didn’t even bother to turn to see where it was winding up.
The only other sounds, apart from a nearby squawking seagull on this sunny, 78-degree Sunday, came from Clint Hurdle and Bill Virdon perched behind the cage.
“What do you think, Bill?” the manager asked.
“Impressive,” the old champion replied. “And effortless.”
I share this partly for fun, partly out of sympathy for the two golfers on that course well beyond left field who undoubtedly weren’t expecting that kind of ball to interfere with play. But that’s how much distance was covered, over the fence, through two tall palms and out onto the links.
Rough estimate, 420 feet, but never more than 35 feet above the grass.
Again, this is for fun. It’s that time of year. Kang won’t be facing soft-tossing coaches behind L-screens before long. He’ll see live fastballs, harder than those in his native Korea. He’ll see bend and break, high and tight, inside and out, and he’ll see them all like never before. But there’s fun to be had in imagining that the raw power the Pirates love, that the 40 home runs and .356 average with which he blew away his countrymen last summer could somehow be real.
Here’s what’s already very real: Hurdle has depth like never before.
Just ask him …
Kang is the wildest of wild cards. He’s the 26-year-old blazing a path but, at the same time, being brought along slowly and told he’ll back up at second and third, possibly at short, his position of choice. He’ll have no pressure but, given his path, he’ll also have no ceiling.
Sunday’s mostly meaningless BP notwithstanding, the Pirates have no idea what they’ve got. Neal Huntington says, “We believe the power is real,” and the GM long has believed that power is translatable even across minor-league levels. But he doesn’t know. Hurdle says, “We believe in the hands, the wrists, the bat speed, in his ability to hit big-league pitching.” But he doesn’t know, either, and reiterated as much over the weekend: “I need to see him.”
What they like to this point, tools aside, is that Kang has made himself immensely accessible to coaches, teammates, anyone who seeks his time. His English is sparse, so he keeps a translator close even on the field and near cages. Just in case someone has a tip or even a joke.
“I’m enjoying being here,” Kang said through that translator.
Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much more to glean through those means. Translating is tough work but, even so, it’s clear from the video below — in which Kang offers a two-syllable answer when asked how he was so successful last season — and the translator goes on to read ‘War and Peace’ out loud …
Yeah, no thanks. Let his performance do the talking.
Corey Hart is in a similar spot. He’s 32, a two-time All-Star who’s two years removed from his last solid season — .270, 30 home runs, 83 RBIs for the Brewers in 2012 — and lugging along doubts about the knee issues that crushed his past two seasons. He was in Seattle last season and spoke of bouncing back but batted .203 with 15 extra-base hits before the Mariners cut him at season’s end.
The Pirates are adamant that his knees are fine, and so is he. They’re also adamant that he could play first base and right field, and so is he. But the undercurrent is that he’s been brought into the fold to platoon behind starter Pedro Alvarez, and he’ll have to work to earn that much.
He knows it, too …
There’s no rational reason to expect some dramatic rebound from Hart. You could hear him say up there that the knees are fine but that there wasn’t any additional surgery or even rehab over this offseason. He basically just rested them.
But if it somehow were to happen, well, Hart wasn’t just any other player. This was a dynamic player, at times an elite player, who averaged 26 home runs over his final five seasons in Milwaukee. It’s difficult to even fathom how much a resurgence at that level could propel the Pirates.
The rest of the bench is comprised of super-utilityman Sean Rodriguez, catcher Chris Stewart and first baseman/right fielder Andrew Lambo. The first two are get-what-you-see vets, and Lambo will still be something of a project. But Kang and Hart add the intrigue.
My favorite reserve with upside, though, is Radhames Liz out in the pen.
For now, anyway. This 31-year-old right-hander was noticed by the Pirates’ Dominican scouts hitting 98 mph on the radar gun in the eighth inning of a game he started.
That’s serious heat, even more serious stamina …
Huntington was so enamored of the reports on Liz that, as he told this site late last week, Liz enters his first big-league season since 2009 with a stunning “spot to lose” on the Pirates’ roster. What’s more, as I’ve heard, management is by no means locked into Liz staying in relief. If he can demonstrate effectiveness, consistency and then length, he’ll probably be first in line to be the sixth starter, if not more.
And this for a guaranteed $1 million on a one-year term.
Don’t misunderstand the broader tone here, please: The Pirates’ 2015 fortunes will be determined by all the usual cast. Supporting means supporting. But if the goal, as all concerned are bluntly stating, is a world championship, then the reserves weren’t going to be roster-fillers this time around, as they’ve been for far too long.
Excited for Pirate baseball! Thanks for the vidoes. Makes me want to take a road trip to Florida!
Have you been able to put eyes on Lambo? He should be pumped for another opportunity to show he has the stuff to stick.
Thanks Dk! Excited for Pirate baseball!
Males me want to take a road trip to check out the team. Have ypu put eyes on Lambo? He should be pumped for another opportunity to show he has the stuff to stick!
How bout pics/video of buffed up El Coffee? Ok, that sounds weird? How about this question: Does Polanco look as strong as everyone seems to be reporting? Thanks! New subscriber. From a former journo, this is a remarkable effort. Good luck and keep it coming!
As is seen every season, depth is important because odds are you are going to need it. Last season JHay started at depth, Snider was needed quite often, and Stewart was also important. Meanwhile middle infield depth was poor once JHay took over 3rd which is why we saw Nix, Martinez and others.
Liz seems like he has his head in a really good place. If he maintains his control, look out. He has the potential to be special. I know if is a big word, but he can really bring it.
"Big Country" ...?? Wondered what ever happened to him. He is Samsung's "next big thing".
mwehrle27
2-22-2015, 9:33 pm
Only 8 position players play. Depth is nice, but would love to see more talent in starting 8 and less on bench. Really think Pirates lost a ton of talent. No salary cap really hurts.
No doubt they will miss Russell Martin this year. But by the end of the year, every baseball fan in Toronto will be sick to their stomach that they will owe Russell Martin 73 million dollars '16-19.
mwehrle27
2-23-2015, 12:06 am
Why does it matter? It's not like they can't trade him or just sign someone else? Doesn't count against cap.
bpn8pitt
2-23-2015, 7:38 am
Look at Ryan Howard, Arod, Prince Fielder. Those teams can't give those guys away right now. Not without eating a chunk of payroll.
In a year or two guys like Pujols, Verander, and Miggy Cabrera might join that list. Along with Russell Martin too, imo.
The Angels and Tigers are well on their way to being with the Phillies and Rangers. Old, bad overpaid teams with little options.
February 22, 2015
Column: Pirates holding plenty in reserve
by Dejan Kovacevic • Columns • Pirates
Jung-Ho Kang takes his cuts in a Pirate City batting cage Sunday. — DEJAN KOVACEVIC
BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC
BRADENTON, Fla. — The ball rocketed off the bat of Jung-Ho Kang with such authority, such trajectory that one of two things seemed bound to happen as it carved through the air at Pirate City: It was either going to clear the left-field fence or require building a new one.
“Oh, my,” you could hear from coach Dave Jauss on the mound. He threw the pitch, and he didn’t even bother to turn to see where it was winding up.
The only other sounds, apart from a nearby squawking seagull on this sunny, 78-degree Sunday, came from Clint Hurdle and Bill Virdon perched behind the cage.
“What do you think, Bill?” the manager asked.
“Impressive,” the old champion replied. “And effortless.”
I share this partly for fun, partly out of sympathy for the two golfers on that course well beyond left field who undoubtedly weren’t expecting that kind of ball to interfere with play. But that’s how much distance was covered, over the fence, through two tall palms and out onto the links.
Rough estimate, 420 feet, but never more than 35 feet above the grass.
Again, this is for fun. It’s that time of year. Kang won’t be facing soft-tossing coaches behind L-screens before long. He’ll see live fastballs, harder than those in his native Korea. He’ll see bend and break, high and tight, inside and out, and he’ll see them all like never before. But there’s fun to be had in imagining that the raw power the Pirates love, that the 40 home runs and .356 average with which he blew away his countrymen last summer could somehow be real.
Here’s what’s already very real: Hurdle has depth like never before.
Just ask him …
Kang is the wildest of wild cards. He’s the 26-year-old blazing a path but, at the same time, being brought along slowly and told he’ll back up at second and third, possibly at short, his position of choice. He’ll have no pressure but, given his path, he’ll also have no ceiling.
Sunday’s mostly meaningless BP notwithstanding, the Pirates have no idea what they’ve got. Neal Huntington says, “We believe the power is real,” and the GM long has believed that power is translatable even across minor-league levels. But he doesn’t know. Hurdle says, “We believe in the hands, the wrists, the bat speed, in his ability to hit big-league pitching.” But he doesn’t know, either, and reiterated as much over the weekend: “I need to see him.”
What they like to this point, tools aside, is that Kang has made himself immensely accessible to coaches, teammates, anyone who seeks his time. His English is sparse, so he keeps a translator close even on the field and near cages. Just in case someone has a tip or even a joke.
“I’m enjoying being here,” Kang said through that translator.
Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much more to glean through those means. Translating is tough work but, even so, it’s clear from the video below — in which Kang offers a two-syllable answer when asked how he was so successful last season — and the translator goes on to read ‘War and Peace’ out loud …
Yeah, no thanks. Let his performance do the talking.
Corey Hart is in a similar spot. He’s 32, a two-time All-Star who’s two years removed from his last solid season — .270, 30 home runs, 83 RBIs for the Brewers in 2012 — and lugging along doubts about the knee issues that crushed his past two seasons. He was in Seattle last season and spoke of bouncing back but batted .203 with 15 extra-base hits before the Mariners cut him at season’s end.
The Pirates are adamant that his knees are fine, and so is he. They’re also adamant that he could play first base and right field, and so is he. But the undercurrent is that he’s been brought into the fold to platoon behind starter Pedro Alvarez, and he’ll have to work to earn that much.
He knows it, too …
There’s no rational reason to expect some dramatic rebound from Hart. You could hear him say up there that the knees are fine but that there wasn’t any additional surgery or even rehab over this offseason. He basically just rested them.
But if it somehow were to happen, well, Hart wasn’t just any other player. This was a dynamic player, at times an elite player, who averaged 26 home runs over his final five seasons in Milwaukee. It’s difficult to even fathom how much a resurgence at that level could propel the Pirates.
The rest of the bench is comprised of super-utilityman Sean Rodriguez, catcher Chris Stewart and first baseman/right fielder Andrew Lambo. The first two are get-what-you-see vets, and Lambo will still be something of a project. But Kang and Hart add the intrigue.
My favorite reserve with upside, though, is Radhames Liz out in the pen.
For now, anyway. This 31-year-old right-hander was noticed by the Pirates’ Dominican scouts hitting 98 mph on the radar gun in the eighth inning of a game he started.
That’s serious heat, even more serious stamina …
Huntington was so enamored of the reports on Liz that, as he told this site late last week, Liz enters his first big-league season since 2009 with a stunning “spot to lose” on the Pirates’ roster. What’s more, as I’ve heard, management is by no means locked into Liz staying in relief. If he can demonstrate effectiveness, consistency and then length, he’ll probably be first in line to be the sixth starter, if not more.
And this for a guaranteed $1 million on a one-year term.
Don’t misunderstand the broader tone here, please: The Pirates’ 2015 fortunes will be determined by all the usual cast. Supporting means supporting. But if the goal, as all concerned are bluntly stating, is a world championship, then the reserves weren’t going to be roster-fillers this time around, as they’ve been for far too long.
Ask Jose Tabata about that.