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Yes it is official!Comment -
Man, the White Sox are making some big waves...
Melky Cabrera, Jeff Samardzija, David Robertson, Zack Duke, & Adam LaRoche.
I guess it makes sense since the money that was freed up by the contracts of Peavy, Dunn, Konerko, & Rios expiring this past year.Comment -
right
just don't want the Cubs success to be better than the Pirates!
lolComment -
Wrigley, Congrats for killing it again in BTP this week!
Cheers to you, bud!
That's like 10 in a row, don't you get an iPad now?
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2 years 20 millions for Edison Volquez in KC
good luck sirComment -
The Royals also signed Kris Medlen to a two-yeay deal.
Hes coming back from Tommy John surgery.Comment -
Pirates sign Corey HartComment -
Hopefully Jameson Tallion recovers from TJ surgery and adds some umpth to the pitching staff in the end of the year as wellComment -
Pirates smart to take a chance on Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang
By Mike Axisa | Baseball Writer
December 22, 2014 2:39 pm ET
The Pirates have won the bidding for Jung-Ho Kang. (USATSI)As reported by our own Jon Heyman -- and later announced by the team -- the Pirates have won the negotiating rights to Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang. Reports out of Korea say the winning bid was a little north of $5 million. The Pirates and Kang now have 30 days to work out a contract, otherwise he will return to the Nexen Heroes for the 2015 season and Pittsburgh will be refunded the $5+ million.
“The Pirates are pleased to have secured the opportunity to attempt to add Kang, Jung Ho to our system and look forward to commencing discussions with the Player and his representative in an effort to make that happen,” said GM Neal Huntington in a statement.
Korean media reports indicate the 27-year-old Kang is seeking $5 million to $6 million per season on a three or four-year contract. That sounds like quite a bit for an unproven talent, but keep in mind Jed Lowrie just got three years at $7+ million annually and last year Omar Infante got four years at more than $7.5 million annually. Kang's asking price is below the market value for a league average-ish middle infielder.
This past season with Nexen, Kang hit an outrageous .356/.459/.739 with 40 home runs in 117 games. The nine-team Korea Baseball Organization hit .289/.365/.443 overall, so it's an offense-happy league, but Kang was still far above the league average. The talent level in KBO is inferior to the talent level in Japan and is generally considered to be equivalent to Double-A, however.
Clearly though, Kang can hit a little bit. What do scouts think about his ability to produce against major league caliber competition? Ben Badler of Baseball America has some answers:... scouts were skeptical of Kang's skill set translating into an everyday role in the majors. Kang is strong and has average raw power, with a chance for 15-20 home runs if he plays every day ... He doesn't have the range to play shortstop in the majors, and scouts also expressed concerns about his ability to make the routine plays ... there's enough potential at the plate for him to be an offensive-oriented utility player who starts his U.S. career in the majors.It's also worth noting the track record of Asian infielders coming over to MLB is terrible. Kaz Matsui, Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Hiroyuki Nakajima were bonafide stars in Japan who flopped to varying degrees in MLB. Akinori Iwamura had about two seasons as a league average player with the Rays before crashing. There's some thought the game on the infield here is too quick and it's too much of an adjustment for a player to make in the middle of his career.
Now, that said, quality middle infielders are very hard to find, and the Pirates are perhaps among the best equipped teams to help Kang through his defensive issues because they are one of the top shifting and defensive positioning teams in the game. Their scouting reports and preparation are excellent, which is why only 22.5 percent of the ground balls allowed by their pitching staff have gone for hits the last two seasons, the fourth fewest in MLB.
With Josh Harrison at third, Jordy Mercer at short and Neil Walker at second, the Pirates also wouldn't have to throw Kang to the wolves and expect him to produce right away. They could break him in slowly, perhaps even start him in Triple-A if they feel that's necessary, and generally make the transition a little easier. Remember, it's not just going from KBO to MLB, the culture change is a tough adjustment as well.
For an upfront $5 million posting fee plus a three or four-year contract at $5 million to $6 million annually, the Pirates could secure a 27-year-old middle infielder with power. It would be a risky investment, no doubt about it, but Pittsburgh is able to mitigate that risk thanks to their already in place infield and deep farm system. Kang would just be part of the team, not the centerpiece.
Kang wouldn't need to be a star to be worth that kind of investment. Heck, he wouldn't even have to be an average everyday player. These days $6 million doesn't buy a whole lot, which is why it's smart for the Pirates to roll the dice. If Kang works out, they'll have a solid contributor at a hard to fill position. If not, then they'll lose nothing but money. It's exactly the kind of risk a team like the Pirates should take.
>> Want more Hot Stove? Free agent tracker | Trade trackerComment -
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Awesome article! Thanks for sharing, EM!Pirates smart to take a chance on Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang
By Mike Axisa | Baseball Writer
December 22, 2014 2:39 pm ET
The Pirates have won the bidding for Jung-Ho Kang. (USATSI)As reported by our own Jon Heyman -- and later announced by the team -- the Pirates have won the negotiating rights to Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang. Reports out of Korea say the winning bid was a little north of $5 million. The Pirates and Kang now have 30 days to work out a contract, otherwise he will return to the Nexen Heroes for the 2015 season and Pittsburgh will be refunded the $5+ million.
“The Pirates are pleased to have secured the opportunity to attempt to add Kang, Jung Ho to our system and look forward to commencing discussions with the Player and his representative in an effort to make that happen,” said GM Neal Huntington in a statement.
Korean media reports indicate the 27-year-old Kang is seeking $5 million to $6 million per season on a three or four-year contract. That sounds like quite a bit for an unproven talent, but keep in mind Jed Lowrie just got three years at $7+ million annually and last year Omar Infante got four years at more than $7.5 million annually. Kang's asking price is below the market value for a league average-ish middle infielder.
This past season with Nexen, Kang hit an outrageous .356/.459/.739 with 40 home runs in 117 games. The nine-team Korea Baseball Organization hit .289/.365/.443 overall, so it's an offense-happy league, but Kang was still far above the league average. The talent level in KBO is inferior to the talent level in Japan and is generally considered to be equivalent to Double-A, however.
Clearly though, Kang can hit a little bit. What do scouts think about his ability to produce against major league caliber competition? Ben Badler of Baseball America has some answers:... scouts were skeptical of Kang's skill set translating into an everyday role in the majors. Kang is strong and has average raw power, with a chance for 15-20 home runs if he plays every day ... He doesn't have the range to play shortstop in the majors, and scouts also expressed concerns about his ability to make the routine plays ... there's enough potential at the plate for him to be an offensive-oriented utility player who starts his U.S. career in the majors.It's also worth noting the track record of Asian infielders coming over to MLB is terrible. Kaz Matsui, Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Hiroyuki Nakajima were bonafide stars in Japan who flopped to varying degrees in MLB. Akinori Iwamura had about two seasons as a league average player with the Rays before crashing. There's some thought the game on the infield here is too quick and it's too much of an adjustment for a player to make in the middle of his career.
Now, that said, quality middle infielders are very hard to find, and the Pirates are perhaps among the best equipped teams to help Kang through his defensive issues because they are one of the top shifting and defensive positioning teams in the game. Their scouting reports and preparation are excellent, which is why only 22.5 percent of the ground balls allowed by their pitching staff have gone for hits the last two seasons, the fourth fewest in MLB.
With Josh Harrison at third, Jordy Mercer at short and Neil Walker at second, the Pirates also wouldn't have to throw Kang to the wolves and expect him to produce right away. They could break him in slowly, perhaps even start him in Triple-A if they feel that's necessary, and generally make the transition a little easier. Remember, it's not just going from KBO to MLB, the culture change is a tough adjustment as well.
For an upfront $5 million posting fee plus a three or four-year contract at $5 million to $6 million annually, the Pirates could secure a 27-year-old middle infielder with power. It would be a risky investment, no doubt about it, but Pittsburgh is able to mitigate that risk thanks to their already in place infield and deep farm system. Kang would just be part of the team, not the centerpiece.
Kang wouldn't need to be a star to be worth that kind of investment. Heck, he wouldn't even have to be an average everyday player. These days $6 million doesn't buy a whole lot, which is why it's smart for the Pirates to roll the dice. If Kang works out, they'll have a solid contributor at a hard to fill position. If not, then they'll lose nothing but money. It's exactly the kind of risk a team like the Pirates should take.
>> Want more Hot Stove? Free agent tracker | Trade tracker
I'm excited about this news for the Buccos! This would be hugh!
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I immediately thought of you guys when I read this, it seems like this could be a nice addition to the Pirates lineup. He has power and hits for average.Comment -
Crazy.... the Pirates have to pay $5 million just to-try-to sign him.
At least they get the $$ back if it doesn't get worked outComment -
Completely surprise move thereComment -
My Saints are done.
Looking forward to the 2015 Chicago Cubs!Comment -
Merry Christmas to all my bb pals in this thread.
Hope you all have a Great Holiday....Comment -
Merry Christmas everyone!Comment
