Pittsburgh Pirates Sending Special Pitching Machine to Jung Ho Kang
By David Hill
Out of sight, out of mind? That is not the case with Jung Ho Kang and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
During the offseason, Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Jung Ho Kang ran afoul of the law yet again. He was convicted for the third time for DUI, with a hit and run accident as part of his legal issues. That led to his work visa being denied, leaving the third baseman in Korea to start the season.
However, the Pirates have not forgotten about Kang just because he is stuck overseas. Instead, they are still hoping that he can rejoin the team at some point this year, giving the team another bat in the lineup. Yet, if he does find his way stateside, Kang will have a great deal of rust to shake off.
With this in mind, the Pirates are sending Kang a special gift. Although he has been working out on his own in korea, it just is not the same as facing Major League caliber pitching. As such, the Pirates are sending Kang a special pitching machine, one that can replicate Major League caliber pitches.
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What Kang is getting is actually a hybrid machine. It is a cross between the Shizuoka Prefecture, a Japanese pitching machine that can throw a 143 MPH fastball, and the e-Hack Attack. The latter pitching machine can be programmed to throw any pitch, replicating the performance of pitches like Corey Kluber‘s slider. If any pitching machine will keep Kang in shape for the season, this could be it.
Even though the Pirates are holding out hope that he will return at some point this year, his return to a Major League diamond is far from certain. Besides, if he does get approved for a visa, Kang is highly likely to face a suspension. Don’t expect to see him in the lineup any time soon, even if he is allowed to come stateside.
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The Pittsburgh Pirates are not counting Jung Ho Kang out of their plans for this season. However, it may be quite a bit of time before he can get on the field.