Padres Preaching Patience With One New Pitcher in Particular
It hasn't been pretty for Woo-Suk Go in Spring Training this year. After a strong debut, the San Diego Padres free agent signing has since struggled in the Cactus League. Go has pitched just 4.1 innings, but allowed eight hits and six earned runs for a 12.46 ERA and 2.31 WHIP.
However, Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla explained that the Padres are taking a 'patient' approach with Go. For one, Go is just getting acclimated to the Padres and MLB. Prior to signing a two-year, $4.5 million deal with the Padres in January, Go had only played professional baseball in Korea's KBO. On the LG Twins, Go posted a career ERA of 3.18.
"You know, be patient with him because we like him a lot. And he's under contract, so let him get his pace and get his feet under him to be able to move forward ... He had a short preparation to go to the United States, shorter than everybody else. He also had a lot of traveling. He went back and forth to the United States when he signed and then he went back for physical and all that stuff. So his offseason was not the same as everybody else."
— Ruben Niebla, via Yoo Jee-ho of Yonhap News Agency.
Not only are the Padres being patient with Go, but they expected him to take time adjusting.
"Obviously, we knew that him coming in, there was going to be an adjustment. The biggest one being obviously the balls, the time, just the transition into the American hitters. And he's done a great job handling that. Every outing, it seems to be getting a little bit better and better and better, feeling more comfortable. So he's heading in the right direction."
— Ruben Niebla, via Yoo Jee-ho of Yonhap News Agency.
There's a good chance Go makes his official MLB debut in his home country as the Padres take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Seoul Series on March 20 and March 21. He's already pitched in his native country this week in an exhibition game, and could get a shot at his first regular season action this week.
