Jung Ho Kang hits 8th homer – one step closer to Rookie of the Year

What worried Kang Jung-ho of the Pittsburgh Pirates the most when he made his debut to the Major Leagues this season was away matches in summer. Fortunately, it appears to have been unnecessary concerns. Having finished July with his two-base hit in three consecutive at-bats, he started August with his homer. Now, his batting average stands at 0.299. In a second away match with Cincinnati Reds, Kang went four for eight with two RBIs and three runs scored. All of the four hits were extra-base hits. Following the St. Louis Cardinals at the end of July to grab its 60th win, the Pittsburgh Pirates lost 4-3 despite Kang’s homer.

With his hard blow, Kang is shortlisted for the rookies of the year in the national leagues. The recipe for success in the long-run race of the Major Leagues is consistency. There are countless players who shine brightly today and disappear the next morning. The second half of the year is much more important than the first half. A player who makes dazzling performance during the end of the season of September is called the “money player” as its performance is interlocked with the post season.

Kang showed the best monthly performance in July, based on which he became the most prominent candidate for the “rookie of the month.” His biggest competitors for the title include third baseman Kristopher L. Bryant of the Chicago Cubs and center fielder Joc Russell Pederson of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bryant holds the batting average of 0.244 with 14 homers and 60 RBIs. Out for season due to the slump, Pederson stands at the batting average of 0.225 with 21 home runs and 43 RBIs. The strong point of the both players is their ability to hit homers which reporters and their fans love. Kang currently holds batting average of 0.299 with eight homers and 35 RBIs.

Kang, however, has shown the most remarkable performance among rookies of the national leagues with his monthly batting average of 0.379 and on-base percentage of 0.443 during the month of July. He was outstanding in scores, hits and RBIs. In July which includes All-Star break, Kang took the lead of his team’s win with his 18 scores, 33 hits, nine RBIs and three homers. His April performance was ordinary with the batting average of 0.269. Having hard time in adapting pitchers’ diffident ball positions during warm-up matches, he was humiliated with three straight strike outs. As he had more opportunities to run for the matches in May, he restored his swings that used to be witnessed in the KBO Leagues. It was May that he hit the first homers against Trevor Jordan Rosenthal of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Having his slump in June, Kang grabbed opportunities to run for the game as third baseman Josh Harrison went on the injured list with his finger injury on July 7. As shortstop Jordy Joe Mercer was unable to run for the game for the long time due to his knee injury, Kang was free from concerns of having opportunities for the match. He only had to check his turn on the first-team squad. Neal Alden Huntington, General Manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates is at the center of attention as Kang Jung-ho is making soft landing on the Major Leagues. He seems to smile just every day these days.

via donga.com[English donga].