Giants' Hwang off to good start in spring training
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto, center, makes a catch at first base for an out against San Francisco Giants third baseman Hwang Jae-gyun, left, during the second inning of a spring training baseball game in Goodyear, Ariz., Sunday. / AP-Yonhap
By Baek Byung-yeul
Hwang Jae-gyun has got off to a good start in spring training.
Hwang, who signed a minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants, started the team’s exhibition game against the Cincinnati Reds as a designated hitter at Goodyear Ballpark in Arizona on Sunday, and scored 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Batting eighth, the 29-year-old hit an RBI single against Robert Stephenson to score third-base runner Mac Williamson. It was Hwang’s second hit in spring training. He posted his first spring training hit as a three-run home run Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.
Thus far, Hwang batted .333 with 4 RBIs in six at-bats.
After playing 10 seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), the power-hitting third baseman earned an invitation to spring training. If he makes the 25-man roster, Hwang will earn $1.5 million. He can also earn up to $1.6 million in incentives.
The Baltimore Orioles outfielder Kim Hyun-soo also recorded his first spring training hit and an RBI.
Though he went hitless in his first spring training game on Saturday, but went 1-for-3 against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida.
Kim started the game as a left fielder and batted first. His hit an RBI single in the top of the second against Jameson Taillon to score a second baseman. During spring training, he batted .167, going 1-for-6.
Meanwhile, Choo Shin-soo of the Texas Rangers had a hitless game in his first spring training appearance.
At Surprise Stadium in Arizona, Choo started the exhibition game against the Kansas City Royals as a designated hitter and went 0-for-2 with one strikeout.
The Minnesota Twins first baseman Park Byung-ho who hit a solo home run on Saturday didn’t play the Sunday game against the Washington Nationals.
Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers is getting closer to appearing in games.
According to local newspapers in Los Angeles, the starting pitcher is reportedly to pitch against the Giants, Wednesday, depending on how his or Scott Kazmir’s bullpen sessions go.
Ryu missed the entire 2015 season after shoulder surgery in May. He returned to the major league mound on July 7 against the San Diego Padres but crumbled after surrendering eight hits in only 4 and 2/3 innings. That was his last game last year as he underwent a left elbow debridement procedure in September.
Before departing for the U.S. to join spring training last month, Ryu said he is pain-free and is ready to take the mound again.