The Padres are not what they were for what seemed like forever.
“It’s a different mentality,” Eric Hosmer said. “You’re just trying to win. It’s different than rebuilding or waiting on certain guys to get here.”
There is no more having players develop while drawing a major league paycheck. The roster was constructed and is being maintained with more than the long-term in mind. The future is now.
But there is one Padres player who is essentially being allowed to learn the ropes as he goes.
Even with a .211/.267/.357 batting line, Ha-seong Kim has in many ways been a godsend. He has filled in excellently on defense all season and provided a couple big home runs in the last homestand. But in his first season in the major leagues, after seven in the Korean Baseball Organization, Kim has from the start been viewed a project as much as a contributor.
He was signed to a four-year, $28 million contract in December with the Padres knowing he would need to get used to competing against a better brand of baseball players. He could be sent to the minors, but he is guaranteed his major league salary regardless.
For a variety of reasons, everyone seems thrilled about it — even the veterans who just a couple years ago had grown weary of and frustrated by a roster brimming with players who either needed more minor league seasoning or weren’t championship pieces.
That has a lot to do with Kim’s team-leading 11 defensive runs saved, his getting on base at a .341 clip since June 2 and his earnestness.
“We’ve seen the improvement,” Hosmer said. “We knew it was going to be an adjustment for him coming from a different league and being able to see major league pitching without going to Double-A or Triple-A, you know it’s going to be an adjustment. We’ve seen the improvement he’s had month to month. We see the defense he plays. He brings a lot of value to this team. We don’t look at it as he’s along for the ride to develop. We see it as he’s here to help us win. Great teammate, fun to be around. He brings a lot of energy.”
It seems to be to Kim’s credit that he has endeared himself to his teammates. He has shown his value while learning a new language and making the jump from a league that featured very few pitchers throwing with the velocity, variety or consistency he now sees regularly.
Teammates talked from the start of spring training about how hard he worked. They joked with infield coach Bobby Dickerson that he needed to allow Kim time with other coaches. Kim has spent an abundance of time, too, with hitting coach Damion Easley.
One of their projects has shown up in recent weeks — a much smaller step accompanying his swing. He no longer lifts his leg. It’s more of a quick slide now. On many swings, it hardly exists. That has eliminated much of his head movement and made him quicker to the ball.
“It definitely has helped me with the timing and adjusting to pitches,” Kim said Wednesday through interpreter Leo Bae. “The whole thing was to make my swing more compact and powerful and more crisp. I’m still getting used to the swing and getting used to the pitchers. I think I’m on the right track.”
Kim rarely saw pitches faster than 93 mph in the KBO. It has shown. He is batting .167 on pitches 94 mph or faster. He has no well-hit balls on pitches at 95 or harder, though he did flare a single on a 99 mph sinker during the last homestand.
“I’m confident if I get more at-bats I be more comfortable with the pitchers,” Kim said. “… I can’t lie, it’s been the best time of my life so far. I’m confident every day I put the work in I’ll get better. It’s my first season. I’m confident I will get better.”
It’s that attitude, along with the improvement, that pleases the Padres.
“We see his frustration,” Manny Machado said. “We see his work ethic. We see everything he brings to the team. … He’s coming from a different league, this is all new to him. We’re just here trying to make it as easy possible to … take this all in. It’s been fun, how he’s going out there grinding out this Major League Baseball.”
