PITTSBURGH -- It was late August in the visitors' clubhouse at Marlins Park, and Jung Ho Kang was sitting alone, in the middle of a row of three leather chairs, playing a game on his smartphone. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle eased into the seat to Kang's left, put his arm around the 28-year-old South Korean and chatted with him for five minutes, just making conversation.
Nobody has ever made the same leap as Kang, the first position player to move straight from the Korea Baseball Organization to the Majors. Nor has any team attempted to guide such a transition.