Mike Tuckman (33‧ Chicago Cubs) was one of the hot topics for Hanwha fans in 2022. There was a lot of controversy about whether or not to renew the contract. It was a topic that did not have an answer in either direction, so its vitality was long.
Tuchman appeared in all 144 games last year and recorded a batting average of 0.289, 12 homers, 43 RBIs, 19 stolen bases, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.795. He’s not a bad grade, but it’s hard to see that he bombed the league. He could see decent batting average and on-base percentage and contributions on base and defense, and he could see a declining slugging percentage (.430). He is not a player who contributes to the team with a hot shot, but his impact is somewhat lacking.
Hanwha offered Tuckman a new contract, but there was a disagreement over the amount, and Tuchman eventually returned to the United States. After that, he signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs and played in an exhibition game and received a lot of attention.
It seemed that Tuchman was already a player whose evaluation in the major leagues was somewhat over. By 2021, he had played for the Colorado, New York Yankees and San Francisco, appearing in 257 games. In 2019, he left a strong impression on fans by hitting 13 home runs in 87 games as a member of the New York Yankees. However, apart from his hustle play, his overall performance was not that spectacular.
However, the Cubs had their eyes on Tuchman to reinforce the outfield player base, and when he showed good performance in the demonstration game, he left it as insurance. Tuchman recorded a batting average of 0.278, 3 homers, 15 RBIs and an OPS of 0.870 in 24 Triple-A games this year. He was particularly remarkable for his on-base percentage. While he struck out 21, he picked up the same number of walks for an on-base percentage of 0.427. The Cubs paid attention to his on-base percentage and called him up with a major league contract on the 20th (Korean time).
In fact, the Cubs don’t expect Tuchman to hit long. However, he has a good on-base percentage and has been watching the ball well lately. He’s a solid defender here and a runner as well. Tuchman is living up to those expectations. In his first three games, he is batting .250 with an on-base percentage of .500. He’s also good on defense. The fact that the Cubs are a player that can be trusted late in the game is proving to some extent.
It is not known how long Tuchman’s major league career will last. It’s hard to see him as a player who has a solid spot on the 26-man roster. If someone comes up, Tuchman could also go down to the minor leagues. However, other teams are watching his good performance now. Even if he is released due to a change in status in the Cubs, teams with outfield vacancies in the future can recruit Tuchman as soon as possible.안전놀이터
Conversely, Hanwha is in a situation where even Tuchman is regrettable. This is because Brian O’Grady, who was recruited as a substitute foreign player, is too sluggish. Hanwha, who saw Tuchman’s poor hitting power last year, thought he needed a bigger gun than this. O’Grady was caught on Hanwha’s radar in the process. However, in a situation where basic on-base was not possible, I was faced with a reality where I had no choice but to think about making it.