Jung Ho Kang: 3 Replacement Middle Infielders
By Bill Pivetz
Sep 17, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Jung Ho Kang (27) grabs his leg after suffering an apparent injury against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at PNC Park. Kang left the game. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the middle of a Wild Card race with a division rival and need all hands on deck if they want to make it to the playoffs. Unfortunately, the team just lost one of its important pieces for the rest of the season on Thursday, stacking the odds against them.
Jung Ho Kang will miss six to eight months with a torn meniscus and broken tibia after Chris Coghlan slid into him on his way to second base. He replaced Jordy Mercer as he was dealing with a leg contusion and sprained MCL. While he is back, the Pirates will miss Kang’s bat in their lineup.
Kang, in 126 games, scored 60 runs, hit 15 home runs, 58 RBI and a .287 batting average. He had a six percent walk rate and 21.2 percent strikeout rate. In comparison, Mercer, in 101 games, hit two home runs, 25 RBI and scored 25 runs with a .237 average. His walk and strikeout rates are 6.2 and 16.5 percent, respectively.
Mercer is owned in just 1.1 percent of ESPN.com leagues. Even though he will be the Pirates starting shortstop for the rest of the season, there are better hitters available that you should pick up.
Jung Ho Kang was drafted in very few leagues, as he was a big waiver-wire pick up when Mercer went down. In most leagues, he was slotted as the middle infielder. So, here are three middle infielders that you should pick up in Kang’s place.
Next: Starlin Castro
Sep 19, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro (13) rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run off of St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Steve Cishek (not pictured) in the sixth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Starlin Castro was the Chicago Cubs starting shortstop at the beginning of the season. That was, until Addison Russell took over the position. He has spent most of the last month playing second base, even with Tommy La Stella and Javier Baez in the mix. While you should expect an off day every now and again, Castro is worth starting as a middle infielder.
Since August 11, 33 games, Castro has 32 hits (six doubles, five home runs), 14 RBI and a .356 batting average. He has similar power to Jung Ho Kang and is available in just under 50 percent of ESPN.com leagues. The Cubs will continue to play their star players until the end of the season. So, as long as Castro continues to hit, he will have a spot in the lineup.
The fact that Castro has eligibility at both second base and shortstop gives you extra flexibility in your lineup.
Next: Jonathan Schoop
Sep 18, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop (6) smiles as he is congratulated in the dugout during the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The Baltimore Orioles are far from playoff contention, but there are some valuable players in that lineup.
Jonathan Schoop (pronounced scope) missed all of May and June with a Grade 1 PCL tear and MCL sprain. Since his return, he’s been a deep power option at middle infield. He hit a two-run home run his first game back and hasn’t stopped.
From July 5 until Sept. 18, he has 11 home runs, 30 RBI and a .295 batting average. He has a ridiculous 25.4 strikeout percentage and a lowly 3.2 walk rate. If you’re in a league that doesn’t penalize strikeouts, then Schoop is a legitimate option.
He hit 16 home runs in 137 games last season. The fact that he is just two homers shy of his 2014 total in about half of the games proves that the power is legit. He is currently on an 11-game hit streak and a series against the Tampa Bay Rays should help his chances to continue.
Schoop is owned in just 22.1 percent of leagues, up five percent from last week.
Next: Rougned Odor
Sep 15, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor (12) breaks his bat as he hits a ground ball in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
I, along with many experts, was high on Rougned Odor before the season started. The starting second baseman for a dangerous Texas Rangers lineup, what could go wrong? Well, I’ll tell you.
Hitting .154 in the first month and a half of the season won’t help. As a result, he was sent down to the minors and called back up on June 15. Something must have clicked down there because he turned his season around since returning.
From June 15 to Sept. 18, Odor has 18 doubles, five triples, 13 home runs, 46 RBI and a .312 batting average. He has three home runs and 12 RBI with a .241 batting average in September.
While he is in an 0-7 slump, that is to be expected from Odor. He is a power-or-bust kind of hitter. Jung Ho Kang was an all-around player, providing you with power and average. Odor will be able to provide you with power at least. He is currently owned in 51.1 percent of leagues, up 2.6 percent over the last week.
Next: Decisions, decisions
Sep 11, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Jung Ho Kang (27) runs the bases on his way to scoring a run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the sixth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
It’s hard to find that kind of player on the waiver wire this point into the season, so finding at least one stat is more than you can ask for. Jung Ho Kang was a great mid-season addition for every fantasy owner that was able to pick him up.
The shortstop position is the most shallow in the league this season. If you could find yourself a second baseman and slot him in your middle infielder position, you’ll be in better shape in the playoffs.
However, if you had Jung Ho Kang as your starting shortstop, the pool of available players shrinks. A lot. Other shortstops worth adding are Didi Gregorius (34 percent owned), Russell (32.5 percent) and Jedd Gyorko (20.1 percent).
It’s a tough loss, but if you made it this far into the season, you have a pretty good lineup. You’ll figure out a way to make things work on your way to a fantasy baseball championship.