“You can get some pressure in the beginning.”
Pittsburgh Pirates Korean major league duo Bae Ji-hwan (24) and Choi Ji-man (32) confirmed their entry into the opening roster together. Choi Ji-man was confirmed to be used as first baseman or designated hitter early on, and Bae Ji-hwan endured fierce competition to enter the opening roster until the last minute of spring camp. Bae Ji-hwan, who debuted in the major leagues for the first time in September of last year, was honored to be named in the opening entry for the first time in his life.
Bae Ji-hwan and Choi Ji-man are expected to work together, but it is difficult to be satisfied with the present. This is just the beginning. The American press predicted that both Bae Ji-hwan and Choi Ji-man would have to prove their strengths over competitors once again in order to be named in the starting lineup.
Choi Ji-man has to fight for a place with veterans. It is expected that he will share playing time with returning pirate captain Andrew McCutchen and old man Carlos Santana, who boasts 278 homers in his major league career. McCutchen’s main position is right fielder, but due to recent right elbow pain, the possibility of playing as a designated hitter has been predicted. Although there is no major problem with throwing now, if McCutchen becomes the designated hitter in order to protect the player, Choi Ji-man will be in a situation where he competes with Santana for a spot on first base.
The American sports media ‘The Athletic’ said, ‘If McCutchen plays more in right field than we think, only Choi, who will be the designated hitter/first baseman, will benefit. However, Choi Ji-man predicted that he would probably be under a little pressure at the beginning of the season.
Pittsburgh wrote Conor Joe on their opening roster with plans to use him as a backup first baseman/corner outfielder. Joe is likely to play right field for McCutchen if he plays as designated hitter. Choi Ji-man seems to have to prove his competitiveness at bat from the beginning of the season as there are many overlapping position competitors right now. 온라인카지노
Bae Ji-hwan, who starts as a backup, must compete for survival. He may feel more pressure than Choi Ji-man, but it is encouraging that the American media’s positive evaluation of Bae Ji-hwan is encouraging. Bae Ji-hwan’s greatest strengths are his utility ability and quick feet. Bae Ji-hwan can cover all three positions, including second baseman, shortstop, and midstop, and boasts a sprint speed of 29 feet per second, making him one of the top 10% of the major leagues.
Pittsburgh is expected to use second baseman Rodolfo Castro and shortstop O’Neal Cruz as their starting pitchers. It seems that Bae Ji-hwan should aim for gaps in Castro and Cruz while preparing as a major runner to change the flow of the game in the second half.