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TT: Something to consider when talking about Hyun Soo Kim

Tony-OH

By Tony-OH
in Orioles Talk

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DrungoHazewood Hangout Grand Counsel

DrungoHazewood

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Ichiro didn't exactly put up crazy numbers besides hits.

38th-best fWAR in history among position players from age 28 through the end of career. About on par with Cal, Brooks, Stargell, Carew or McCovey, ahead of Killebrew and Mantle, and Manny Ramirez and everyone else. Given that he was the same player for almost a decade prior in Japan I'd call him an inner-circle HOFer.

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DrungoHazewood Hangout Grand Counsel

DrungoHazewood

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Because some folks have a predisposition to being hopeful against all logic as the O's roll into the season with the worst OF in the majors and one of the worst starting rotations, all while flushing 140 million dollars down the toilet on a team that if it over achieves will win 80-85 games.

You're absolutely incapable of existing in reality, aren't you? Absolutely every word out of your keyboard is hyperbolic nonsense.

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Tony-OH Hangout Grand Counsel

Tony-OH

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You're absolutely incapable of existing in reality, aren't you? Absolutely every word out of your keyboard is hyperbolic nonsense.

Just as a sidenote, this would be a great name for a band. .... or a good handle for some of our posters who like to look at only one side of things!

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Aristotelian Hangout Grand Counsel

Aristotelian

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Ichiro didn't exactly put up crazy numbers besides hits.

Wow, that statement is off base on so many levels. 1) Even if walks and power are important, hits are one of the fundamental ways that a player contributes offensively day in and day out. They are not everything but they certainly count. 2) In that category Ichiro is one of the best ever. Almost 3,000 hits after the age of 27. Led the league 7-times. 3) Ichiro won 10 GG's plus an MVP and 10 All Star teams, all good indicators of overall value. 4) Gwynn made it with a similar profile offensively but was worse defensively.

The only knock on Ichiro is that he was only able to play at his peak level for about 10 years because so many of his prime years were played in Japan.

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webbrick2010 Hangout Veteran Council

webbrick2010

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I agree with that assessment. But I would say it isn't even bottom 5 OF in majors.

If it is true that Nolan Reimold, a fringe ML OF'er at best is slated for RF, and Kim and un-proven 28 yo who has never played above High A perhaps AA base ball is your starting LF'er. Kim has been advertised to have a below average arm, below average speed and projects to have below average power for a ML OF'er. I'd seriously like to debate what 5 teams are projecting a worse OF.

I suspect that we will be forced to play a lot of Trumbo in LF and Davis in RF which will make it a respectable offensive OF but terrible defensive OF

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Crazysilver03 Hangout Grand Counsel

Crazysilver03

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Ichiro didn't exactly put up crazy numbers besides hits.

I guess I should clarify that I wasn't trying to denigrate Ichiro. I know he had an awesome career in Japan and followed it up with a phenomenal 10 yesr career in the US. Was just trying to point out to MDT how silly it is to try to compare Kim to Ichiro, since the skillsets are quite different.

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Crazysilver03 Hangout Grand Counsel

Crazysilver03

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If it is true that Nolan Reimold, a fringe ML OF'er at best is slated for RF, and Kim and un-proven 28 yo who has never played above High A perhaps AA base ball is your starting LF'er. Kim has been advertised to have a below average arm, below average speed and projects to have below average power for a ML OF'er. I'd seriously like to debate what 5 teams are projecting a worse OF.

I suspect that we will be forced to play a lot of Trumbo in LF and Davis in RF which will make it a respectable offensive OF but terrible defensive OF

To say Reimold is fringe at best, just continues the hyperbole.

You do know that CF is also in the OF right?

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WEAVERMAN Hangout Grand Counsel

WEAVERMAN

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A lot of folks, including myself have penciled in Hyun Soo Kim when making out potential everyday lineups for the Orioles in 2016. Honestly, part of the reason I've put him in those lineups without seeing him play is mostly due to the fact of limited other options.

However, there are some red flags that make me wonder whether Kim will end more of a 4th outfielder/DH more than an everyday guy. Sure, the 28-year old Kim comes over after posting gaudy .326/.438/.541/.979 slash line with a career best 28 home runs and 101 walks in 630 PAs. That seems great until you see that former Orioles farm hand Eric Thames, who put up a robust .252/.315/.356/.671 slash line at Norfolk in 2013, basically is Barry Bonds in Korea after slashing .381/.497/.790/1.288 with 47 home runs, 103 walks and 40 stolen bases. Honestly, if we are going off of stats, maybe the Orioles should have signed Thames to a minor league contract since he outperformed Kim and is only 14 moths older.

The KBO has a wide mix of players, but most consider the talent level to be somewhere in the vicinity of High-A ball to AA. Nothing against Thames, but when he can suddenly put up Barry Bonds-esque numbers you definitely have to wonder about the talent level.

The next concern is Kim's reported weight of 240 pounds when he signed. Not exactly known as a defensive whiz, Kim's reported weight in the KBO was around 210 so either it was under reported or he's eaten a lot of kimchee late. I've never seen the guy play and I know it's being reported that Brady Anderson is working with him this offseason, but a 6-2, 240 pound guy who plays LF in the KBO does not make me think he's going to be plus defender. I could be wrong, but it's a concern.

Add in the fact that the Orioles signed him relatively cheaply (2ys/7mil) and you have to think there wasn't a ton of teams breaking down his door to come to America.

I think his contract is worth a shot and his upside is that he could be a decent OBP guy, but at the same time, we might be getting ahead of ourselves if we start assuming he's the full-time left fielder.

Nice summary imo

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webbrick2010 Hangout Veteran Council

webbrick2010

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To say Reimold is fringe at best, just continues the hyperbole.

You do know that CF is also in the OF right?

What do you call a guy that has had 400 AB's in the past 4 years to a ~.725 OPS

I don't call him a candidate to be a starter on anything but the worst OF in the majors

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