Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper is just as excited as many fans are with the team's latest free-agent acquisition of Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, particularly because of the stability the signing brings to the top of the batting order.
Speaking on the latest episode of "Giants Talk" with NBC Sports Bay Area's Cole Kuiper and Laura Britt, Duane Kuiper expressed his excitement at the addition of Lee.
“Look, the Giants are going to pencil him in to leadoff for 162 games, that’s what they expect out of him.” Kuiper said. “I like the fact that they took a chance on this guy, maybe you get somebody that is really exciting, and people really want to come to the ballpark to see because he’s going to lead off and when you drive to the ballpark, you know who your leadoff hitter is. We can’t say that over the last three, four years…that we knew exactly what the lineup was going to be.”
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Lee’s signing has been the marquee free-agent pickup by the Giants this offseason, and based on Lee’s entertaining introductory press conference, he very well could be one of the most exciting and dynamic players on the team this season.
Kuiper described how happy he was that the Giants took a chance on Lee, and how having him bat leadoff for the team will provide some much-needed stability at the top of the batting order, which will excite fans.
Lee, nicknamed the “Grandson of the Wind” because of his father Jong Beom Lee’s nickname the “Son of the Wind," will look to make a big splash in his first season in the major leagues.
While Lee excelled in the KBO, the 25-year-old will have to adjust to the speed of MLB pitching, where the average fastball velocity is 93 MPH versus 88 MPH in the KBO.
San Francisco Giants
Lee’s signing has been one of the few pickups for the Giants this offseason, after being spurned by Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who both signed with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers during free agency. Even with Lee and the trade for Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray, the Giants still have plenty of ground to make up on the Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West.
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