Baltimore Orioles: What now after missing on Mesa brothers?
By David Hill
Head to the CPBL and acquire Wang Po-Jung
The Chinese professional Baseball League is still a relatively untapped resource. Wang Po-Jung may change that.
There is no questioning the potential that Wang possesses. He won the Quadruple Crown in the CPBL in 2017, leading the league with 171 hits, 31 homers, 101 RBI, and in every category of his .407/.491/.700 slash line over his 517 plate appearances. This season has been a bit of a disappointment, but Wang has still produced a solid .351/.446/.547 batting line with 17 homers and 32 doubles.
Despite his tremendous power, there are questions around the 25 year old. The CPBL is a very offensively inclined league, with a smaller strike zone. Wang has holes in his swing that leave him susceptible to pitches on the inner part of the plate. He is limited defensively, and may be stuck in the corner outfield spots, or as a designated hitter. And, he has not exactly seen the best breaking pitches in the world, playing in a league that is decidedly below Nippon Professional Baseball and the Korean Baseball Organization.
Nonetheless, the power is real, and should be able to translate to the majors. Wang is a project, one that could spend a year in the upper minors before being ready for the Orioles lineup. Yet, if they can tweak his swing, and get him accustomed to life in the United States.
The Baltimore Orioles have the cash to go after some intriguing players. Wang Po-Jung is exactly the type of player the Orioles should take a look at.