Pirates' Jung Ho Kang Looking Forward To Playing After Long Rehab
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - It's been a long and grueling five months of rehab for Jung Ho Kang. He is left with a six-inch scar as a reminder of that collision at second base with with Cubs player Chris Coghlan.
Kang will always have the scar, but his pain is almost gone. Telling KDKA-TV's Rich Walsh that he still has some pain describing it as "little."
Kang decided it was best to stay in Florida the entire off-season and rehab. That decision has definitely paid dividends for the Pirates' third baseman. Kang has exceeded expectations and told Walsh he is ahead of the Pirates' original schedule.
Kang is optimistic for a return sometime in April. He said he might not be ready for Opening Day, but neither Kang or the Pirates are ruling it out just yet.
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Jung Ho has been the talk of spring training, within the Pirates organization and their medical staff.
Kang also expressed to Walsh through his interpreter that he feels like he let the team down last year.
"I feel bad about last season that I couldn't help the team win," he said.
Kang has enjoyed his offseason in Florida while rehabbing. He had a chance to go to Disney World and do a lot of fishing.
One thing you might not know about Kang, just below his scar, he has a tattoo of himself on his ankle.
He is the only one in the Pirates' locker room with a tattoo of himself, but he isn't the only one with high expectations. He wants a ring.
