Pirate Captain Bae praises Bae Jihwan as “an important piece of the puzzle”
‘Pirate Captain’ Andrew McCutchen highly praised newcomer Bae Ji-hwan.
In an interview with ‘Pittsburgh Trip-Live’ reported on the 2nd (Korean time), McCutchen praised his teammate Bae Ji-hwan, saying, “He is a very important piece of the puzzle.”
Bae Ji-hwan, who took his first 바카라사이트 steps as a full-time big leaguer this season, is making a soft landing in the big leagues with a batting average of 0.240, an on-base percentage of 0.309, a slugging percentage of 0.316, 2 home runs, 23 RBIs and 21 stolen bases in 88 games.
McCutchen described Bae Ji-hwan as “a player who uses his speed to get on base, steal bases, and create something with his base-running plays,” and said, “He is a very important part of the team.”
Bae Ji-hwan plays second base and center field in defense. There are some mistakes in his defense, but he also shows great defense and makes his presence known.
McCutchen said of Bae Ji-hwan, “When he goes out to play, he shows he can do it.” “He’s like a burner. He doesn’t know yet when to turn it on and when to turn it off. When you go out, you always burn 100%. “This is something that will take time,” he continued.
McCutchen, who made his big league debut at the age of 22, a year younger than Bae Ji-hwan, played as Pittsburgh’s starting left fielder until he was pushed to right field in 2018. Bae Ji-hwan’s 21 stolen bases this year remain the most stolen bases by a Pittsburgh rookie since McCutchen recorded 22 stolen bases in 2009.
Bae Ji-hwan’s current appearance has many similarities to McCutchen’s younger days in that he has quick feet and sees defense in center field.
Pittsburgh Trip-Live also commented, “McCutchen seems to see himself in this 24-year-old player from Korea.”
Regarding Bae Ji-hwan’s center field defense, McCutchen said, “I’m not a player who normally plays center field. It will take time (to get used to it). However, he is showing very good defense. He played fantastic defense. “To be honest, I think he will be a very good center fielder.”
Meanwhile, Bae Ji-hwan is expected to start at second base in the away game against the St. Louis Cardinals that day.