Wow, Kim is untouchable

[24fps]

The Mighty Kim.

“There’s many, many things that I worked on, but the main thing was our hitting coach, Scott Coolbaugh, was talking to me about not doing too much when I’m up there,” Kim said, via interpreter Danny Lee. “‘Try to stay as you’re doing in the cage and in BP. Please take that into the game to make sure you perform just as you are, not overpowering.’ So he asked me that, and it turned out well today."

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-hyun-soo-kim-collects-three-hits-will-be-in-lineup-thursday-in-series-finale-against-astros-20160525-story.html

Not only does Kim have a good batting eye, he also seems to be very tactful in respect to the way he's been treated. Over time I think that's going to win him a lot of fans.

[DrungoHazewood]

Something about Kim reminds me of Wade Boggs.

Yeah, I'm not putting Kim in Hall of Fame or claiming he can drink 64 beers on a cross-country flight. But Kim seems to have the ability to find the outfield grass on relatively softly hit balls. I suspect he'll consistently generate an above-average BABIP.

I've mentioned several times about the curiosity I have about bat speed, and how baseball may over-emphasize bat speed. I get the feeling that scouts tend to equate a quick bat with the ability to hit. This despite a long, long history of successful MLB hitters who basically just drop the bat into the zone and wack the ball. Sometimes turning on a pitch, but often just flaring it into the outfield. Boggs. Gwynn. Ichiro. Countless guys from pre-1965.

It's interesting that this seems to not be the case in Asia, and many players from Japan or Korea have this unorthodox approach (to North American eyes) yet are successful. We have to go overseas to find these players because it's selected out by coaches and scouts here. If you don't have a super quick bat here the scout just writes a 30 or 40 as your hit skill and you're not a prospect.

[stef]

Oh geez, really Buck?

You are taking credit?

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-hyun-soo-kim-collects-three-hits-will-be-in-lineup-thursday-in-series-finale-against-astros-20160525-story.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

He has four multi-hit games in nine starts.

Or trying to save face. Or both.

[24fps]

Or trying to save face. Or both.

I definitely think there's some face-saving going on.

[JKOriole]

I definitely think there's some face-saving going on.

I picture Buck gritting his teeth whenever having to answer a reporter's question about Kim - lol

[24fps]

I picture Buck gritting his teeth whenever having to answer a reporter's question about Kim - lol

Well Kim's currently hitting .438. I don't think anyone expects him to keep that up, so all Buck really has to do to stop the questions is to play him more often and let the game take its inevitable toll.

If I were Buck I would definitely consider this particular glass half-full. Kim is doing exactly what he was hired to do - bring some discipline to each plate appearance and get on base. Given last night's dreadful performance by everyone except Kim (and maybe Wieters) I would play Kim more just in the hope that some of the other players might be watching. Today's Baltimore Sun report suggests that Buck is a big fan of giving players the opportunity to observe, right?

[Can_of_corn]

Well Kim's currently hitting .438. I don't think anyone expects him to keep that up, so all Buck really has to do to stop the questions is to play him more often and let the game take its inevitable toll.

If I were Buck I would definitely consider this particular glass half-full. Kim is doing exactly what he was hired to do - bring some discipline to each plate appearance and get on base. Given last night's dreadful performance by everyone except Kim (and maybe Wieters) I would play Kim more just in the hope that some of the other players might be watching. Today's Baltimore Sun report suggests that Buck is a big fan of giving players the opportunity to observe, right?

I would still love for a reporter to ask Buck if he and the coaching staff misjudged Kim during Spring Training.

I know he would just spin, spin, spin but would be fun to watch.

[pastorfan]

Time to put Kim at top of lineup and give Rickard a rest.

[LookitsPuck]

I would still love for a reporter to ask Buck if he and the coaching staff misjudged Kim during Spring Training.

I know he would just spin, spin, spin but would be fun to watch.

Oh man, I'd love for someone to ask that. Too bad they never will.

[Can_of_corn]

Oh man, I'd love for someone to ask that. Too bad they never will.

Are there reporters from Korea covering the team?

I could see one of them doing it.

[El Gordo]

Are there reporters from Korea covering the team?

I could see one of them doing it.

Maybe, but I bet something would get lost in the translation.

[Can_of_corn]

Maybe, but I bet something would get lost in the translation.

I've posted before about how much English language training your average south Korean gets.

My guess is anyone sent over here to cover Kim is going to be bilingual.

[24fps]

I would still love for a reporter to ask Buck if he and the coaching staff misjudged Kim during Spring Training.

I know he would just spin, spin, spin but would be fun to watch.

As annoyed as I am with Buck over the way he's handled Kim (I'm VERY annoyed), I think I would resist the temptation and not put Buck on the spot. It's not that I think that Buck would dig in, ultimately I think he's bigger than that, I just want to see Kim get a little more playing time. I think he might bring something to the team that it needs at the moment and I would like to see if I'm right. I think momentum is building in that direction and I wouldn't want to put anything in the way.

[Can_of_corn]

As annoyed as I am with Buck over the way he's handled Kim (I'm VERY annoyed), I think I would resist the temptation and not put Buck on the spot. It's not that I think that Buck would dig in, ultimately I think he's bigger than that, I just want to see Kim get a little more playing time. I think he might bring something to the team that it needs at the moment and I would like to see if I'm right. I think momentum is building in that direction and I wouldn't want to put anything in the way.

To each their own.

I think it is a very fair question to ask.

Kim getting effectively benched in ST was a pretty big story at the time and I think folks would like some insight into the thought process.

I wouldn't keep pressing him about it but the subject shouldn't be off limits.

[Es4M11]

It's funny, just the other day I was discussing the topic of Kim and why he wasn't playing against Fister, and not much support for the idea. Now all of a sudden...