The U.S. San Francisco local media “Mercury News” recently shed light on Korean batters who had succeeded in the Major League before Lee Jung-hoo as a follow-up to Lee Jung-hoo’s San Francisco contract. 사설 토토사이트
“There is 5,611 miles (about 9,030 kilometers) between Seoul and San Francisco, and I think there will be a bigger gap between the Major League and the KBO League that Lee Jung-hoo is aiming for,” Mercury News said. “Although the KBO League is one of the most competitive leagues in the world, there are few cases where a Korean player has succeeded in the Major League. So far, 28 Korean players have advanced to the Major League, and the majority of them were pitchers,” he expressed skepticism toward Lee.
The Mercury News claimed, “In order to predict Lee’s success, we need to examine the aspects of Korean Major Leaguers who were successful as fielders in the past.” He also mentioned names of Kang Jung-ho (retired), Kim Ha-sung (San Diego Padres), and Kim Hyun-soo (LG Twins).
After leaving Gwangju Jeil High School, Kang was selected as the eighth pick in the first round of the second round of the Hyundai Rookie Draft in 2006. Back in 2014 when he was with the Heroes, he joined the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Major League thanks to a batting average of 356 with 40 homers, 117 RBIs and 103 runs scored, and became the center hitter of the Pirates by hitting 15 homers in 2015 and 21 homers in 2016. After retiring after the 2019 season, Kang has a batting average of 254 with 46 homers, 144 RBIs and 120 runs OPS.796.
“Kang joined the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2015 after hitting a career-high 40 home runs in the KBO League. He played OPS.838 in 229 games during the first two years before suffering a fatal leg injury,” the Mercury News reported. “As a strong infielder, Kang easily adapted to fastballs pitched by Major League pitchers. As a result, he ranked third in the National League Rookie of the Year and displayed stronger power the following season.”
Apart from his outstanding skills, Kang is a felon who has been caught drunk driving three times. Following 2009 and 2011, he was sentenced to eight months in prison and two years of probation for causing a hit-and-run accident under the influence of alcohol and driving in December 2016. He escaped to a hotel under the influence of alcohol and hid at the time, and his passenger made a false statement that he drove the car. Both legally and ethically, he was fatally shot.
“Kang was three years older than Lee Jung-hoo when he moved to the Major League,” the Mercury News reported. “However, his career failed to blossom due to reasons that had nothing to do with his performance in the Major League. Legal and personal issues cut his career in the Major League. After being caught drunk driving several times, his U.S. visa was cancelled.”
Meanwhile, Kang Jung-ho, who opened a baseball academy in Los Angeles after his retirement, has recently attracted the attention of baseball fans again by helping Son Ah-seop (NC) become the first batting champion. Doosan’s fourth batter Kim Jae-hwan, who is currently in crisis, is training at Kang’s academy, and NC’s catcher Park Se-hyuk, who is also suffering from a slump, plans to receive help from Kang along with Son Ah-seop in January next year.