Player Predictions: DH Byung Ho Park

I think or am hoping he will start off extremely hot (going to be interesting to see if Molitor will do some consistent lineups). I also believe he will work hard, especially LEARN that you take pitches in major league ball and he'll start drawing more walks than expected. Going from Korea to spring training to Target Field and other major league stadiums will be an adjustment. Just remember, he hasn't played in these parks. But let's give him a Big Ovation his first times at Target Field!

Josh Wilingham with a few more strikeouts at the plate

From what I see of Park's hitting form, I'm optimistic. He has excellent balance, a good sweep through the zone, meets the ball out front, and finishes with an upper cut. Park's home run swing reminds me a bit of Torii Hunter's, and Park's plate discipline looks very good. Mid-20's home runs or better, depending how well he adjusts to MLB off-speed stuff. He does not appear over-matched at all. 

From what I see of Park's hitting form, I'm optimistic. He has excellent balance, a good sweep through the zone, meets the ball out front, and finishes with an upper cut. Park's home run swing reminds me a bit of Torii Hunter's, and Park's plate discipline looks very good. Mid-20's home runs or better, depending how well he adjusts to MLB off-speed stuff. He does not appear over-matched at all.

Call me Seth...errr...optomistic, but from everything I have heard and seen, (in very limited bits), he seems to have a nice stroke and an idea at the plate. I'm impressed and hopeful at this point. I kept expecting a .200 BA ish and real questions as to whether he should spend the early portion of the season in AAA getting acclimated. Didn't we all hear about this as a thought and possible expectation? Suddenly it looks like we may actually have a productive new power hitter for our lineup. Yes?

Call me Seth...errr...optomistic, but from everything I have heard and seen, (in very limited bits), he seems to have a nice stroke and an idea at the plate. I'm impressed and hopeful at this point. I kept expecting a .200 BA ish and real questions as to whether he should spend the early portion of the season in AAA getting acclimated. Didn't we all hear about this as a thought and possible expectation? Suddenly it looks like we may actually have a productive new power hitter for our lineup. Yes?

His "idea" at the plate - a plan he figures out before stepping in the box may be what separates Park from other "rookies" like Buxton last year, who did look over-matched. Park has already spent years planning to attack professional pitchers, some of whom presumably had semi-MLB stuff. 

While it's true that a lot of MLB pitchers can throw the ball a few mph faster than in Asia, the rest of the package is not completely alien to Park, who dominated his league. The question going into ST was, can he hit a major league fastball? We now know the answer is yes, he can. The next question is, can he formulate a good plan for attacking MLB pitchers during a 162 game season? Well, it's the same mental process he's been doing successfully for several years, so my guess is that he will not look like a typical rookie out there. He knows situations, how to work a count, how to look for certain pitches in certain counts. If they try to feed him all fastballs, we know he can hammer a fastball. If they feed him a curve and it hangs, he can hit those a long way, too. 

If Park has any weaknesses as a hitter in this league, it will be the same pitches that other major leaguers have trouble with. He might even surprise some people with his ability to hit pitches he sees more often in his former league. He has played the cat and mouse game for quite a while now. It's not going to intimidate him.