For Jung Hoo Lee of SF Giants, MLB leader in 2B, Hot Start is due to comfort

San Francisco – The hot start of Jung Hoo Lee cannot be found in cinema or statistics.

Visually, its mechanisms are the same as when it happened from Korea. Statistically, his identity as a ball player remains the same: a striker oriented towards the contactor with a low-steal and low-contact content with skills of a bat elite. For Lee, the key to its hot start lies in a luxury that time only reaches out of time.

“This is the level of comfort here in the clubhouse and on the field,” said Lee to this press organization via the Justin Han team interpreter. “I got to know all the guys and I am close to everyone. It makes you easier. I know what to expect, and it’s the biggest difference. ”

Lee, which strikes .315 with a double double at the head of MLB, did not consider his first year with the giants as being overwhelming, although he joked by saying that “it is difficult to drive here in the city” because of the many one -way roads of San Francisco.

That said, Lee indeed uprooted his life after signing an agreement of $ 113 million over six years with the Giants. New team and teammates. New manager and coaches. New country and new culture. New language and customs. And before playing a game, he became a face of the franchise.

“If I had to go to Japan or go to play winter ball – you realize what they have to go through,” said manager Bob Melvin. “The teams do their best so that guys acclimatize, but easier to say than to do. Especially the guys who come from Asia. It is a completely different lifestyle.”

Lee’s recruit season ended after 37 games due to a torn labrum in his left shoulder, but his first year with the Giants allowed him to learn the reflux and the flows of a major league season in America. Once Lee came out of his slingshot, Lee and Han were constant presence in the dugout at home and on the road. For Melvin, it was time well.

“His first year, learning not only a new league, but living in a (new) country and learning a language, there is so much to these guys. He was much more comfortable this year since the start of spring training in the United States and his team,” said Melvin.

“He saw enough last year to find out what to expect,” said Hitting Pat Burrell coach. “I could not agree more with Bob. It lacks so much time, of course, there is a concern, but it is such an incredible athlete, he rebounds immediately after this operation and does not miss a beat. In fact, I think he looks better than he did in terms of freedom of his swing. I think he looks more comfortable in the box.

About a month after his second season, the 26 -year -old opened a lot of eyes.

Upon entering on Wednesday, Lee’s victories over the replacement (by Fangraphs) ranks ninth in all baseball. He struck three circuits in three games against the Yankees, including two against Carlos Rodón in the last match in the series. Less than 25 games in the season, he has already overshadowed last year’s total (20), double (10), triple (two), circuits (three), produced points (15) and flights (three).

“It’s a coordination of a look. I think he sees the ball very well,” said Burrell. “He makes incredible decisions. His catches are under control. He is not in a hurry. I think that basically, he really believes in him. I think he is a big one.”

Early success is all the more impressive since its first season was over before the end of May. As Justin Verlander can attest to it, the return of an end -of -season injury requires rejecting doubt.

“You just have to fight it,” said Verlander, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020 and missed 2021. “You have to trust the process. In my case, rehabilitation was fine and there would be little things that take turns. The only thing that really puts your mind at ease is to happen – go there and let it happen.