Padres News: Bob Melvin Praises Ha-Seong Kim for Consistency
One of the few bright spots for the San Diego Padres this season has been Ha-Seong Kim. His consistent play all year long has helped keep this team afloat in the wild card run.
It has been a challenging year for the Padres, but Kim has been the stability they need. He has led by example and has turned himself into one of the better players on the roster.
It has been impressive to watch play out, and his teammates are amazed each day by him. Even manager Bob Melvin has been thoroughly impressed with his play and praised him for his performance this season.
“At times it feels like we’re down,” said Padres manager Bob Melvin. “But it never does in the way he plays. It’s a key ingredient for us at all times. He never takes a pitch off, never doesn’t run a ball out. … There’s just a lot of energy that comes with him.”
For the year, Kim is hitting .280 with 17 home runs and 49 runs batted in. He may fall behind the star power on this roster, but make no mistake, Kim is the real deal.
It seems like anytime this Friars team has needed a jolt this year, Kim is one the providing the push.
“He knocks in runs, he gets big hits, he gets on base,” Melvin said. “He understands what’s asked of him in the leadoff spot. He plays defensively as well as anybody in the game. He’s become quite the player.”
He delivered again on Monday night, hitting a massive grand slam to help them grab the victory against the Miami Marlins. Miami sits ahead of them in the wild-card standings, so it was imperative that they started the series off with a victory.
Kim will continue to be one of the main forces to drive this team as the season winds down. It’s just who he is as a baseball player, and his growth has been special to watch.
