Bae’s 2024 season for the Pittsburgh Pirates has been disappointing. He clearly showed signs of backpedaling. However, it was not just his fault.
Bae went back and forth between the big leagues and Triple-A for this season. He got off to a wrong start. He was on the injured list due to a hip injury and was demoted while playing a rehabilitation game for Triple-A.
He was called up in May, but played eight games and was put on the injured list due to a wrist injury. He also moved back to Triple-A during a rehabilitation game.
After being called up again at the end of July, he also appeared to be in a rhythm at one point in August, such as getting on base for five consecutive games, but was relegated again after slumping to 3 for 23 in 9 games since mid-August.
He played in 81 at-bats for the entire season. Whether he was given a fair chance is questionable. However, he clearly failed to make the most of it.
He was different at Triple-A. He posted a batting average of 0.342 on-base percentage of 0.433 slugging percentage of 0.504 in 66 games, becoming a completely different player.
It is not uncommon for a player who was good at Triple-A to be called up to the Major League and not be able to perform there. However, he had a slightly bigger gap.
He confessed that spending the early part of the season in Triple-A before being demoted had a negative impact on him. Having struggled particularly with high fastballs this season, he also expressed despair, saying, “Playing in Triple-A does not help me prepare for the big league at all.”
This is not an excuse. Triple-A has deteriorated in quality. As a result, the gap with the Major League has widened more than ever.
The minor league system was reorganized in 2021. Major League Baseball reorganized the minor league system from six to four in response to demands for improved treatment of minor league players. In the process, the team also reduced the size of minor league players.
In the process, the number of veteran players who traveled between Triple-A and Major League Baseball decreased. The position was replaced by prospects raised by the club. On top of that, the level of Triple-A pitchers naturally declined as the speed of clubs to call up potential prospects increased.
Nick Martini, who played for the NC Dinos in the KBO League, said in an interview with “The Athletic” that “when I first went to Triple-A, there were many older pitchers with excellent pitching skills and ball power. If I faced veteran pitchers with six to seven years of experience in the 2015 and 2016 seasons, now Triple-A is a promising league,” explaining the difference.
It is not irrelevant that KBO clubs recruit players who were playing in other leagues such as Taiwan or the independent league, not Triple-A. An agent said, “If you look at Triple-A these days, you can only see one or two players per team who are eligible to come to the KBO League.”
Bad Ji-hwan is not the only hitter who failed to continue his performance in Triple-A to the big league. His teammates such as Jack Suinski (Triple-A batting average of 0.239 OPS of 0.751, Major League of 0.182/0.5888) and Henry Davis (Triple-A batting average of 0.307 OPS of 0.956, Major League of 0.144/0.453) also had a difficult year, failing to show much performance in the big leagues.
A similar case can be found in other teams. Baltimore Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft, is a case in point. He was called up to the big league, but only posted a batting average of 0.169 on-base percentage of 0.227 slugging percentage of 0.290 in 56 games. At Triple-A, he posted a batting average of 0.271 on-base percentage of 0.431 slugging percentage of 0.477 in 73 games.
“Everyone needs to figure out how,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton told The Athletic about the gap between the two levels. “ABS has narrowed the strike zone and requires different batting abilities. This is a problem that everyone is seeing. I think the fact that Major League pitchers are so good makes the biggest difference.” 메이저사이트
Some point out that the schedule of six consecutive games against a team is a variable. Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said in an interview with the same media that if you play against a team of pitchers for six days, it will become easier to play against them by the end of the week.
There are exceptions. Another teammate of Bae started the season with Triple-A, Nick Gonzalez, but was called up afterwards, showing his improvement from the previous season with a batting average of 0.269 on-base percentage of 0.306 and slugging percentage of 0.389 in 89 games. Veteran infielder Isaiah Kainer-Falefa joined the team during the season, but remained at the main second base.
Gonzalez told The Athletic, “It is a little easier to adjust at bat in Triple-A than here in the Major League. In terms of schedule, I will play against the same team six times. From my experience, I can say that (Triple-A) is helpful.”
As a result, Bae Ji-hwan did not have the right opportunity this season, nor did he take full advantage of the opportunity he took. It was a year that was regrettable in many ways.
To put it bluntly, it is uncertain whether he will be able to play in the same uniform next season. Even if he remains in the team, he will likely prepare for the season in a more disadvantageous position than before.
If you go to another team, it could be a blessing in disguise. Changes in the environment can be a new stimulus and a catalyst for a rebound. This season’s teammate Joey Bart was able to confirm that. Earlier, other seniors, including Choi Ji-man and Park Hyo-joon, also prepared an opportunity for a rebound through trade.