“I had to come to the Korean Series (KS) to play the baseball I wanted to do.”
The process was as ideal as the result. In KS, the batting line exploded with a team batting average of 0.331 and a team OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.931, relieving 29 years of resentment. Although the sample is small since it was 5 games, 8 home runs were hit. The strongest batting line in the regular season was LG, which burned even hotter on the highest stage.
The commander also smiled. Manager Yeom Kyeong-yeop said, “Originally, I wanted to score points through active base running at the large Jamsil Stadium, and score through home runs and long hits at the small away stadium. “I had to come to KS to play the baseball I wanted to play,” he said, adding that he was satisfied with the home run he lacked in the regular season in the most important game.
In the regular season, it was a batting lineup that lacked nothing except home runs. He was first in team batting average (0.279), and also first in team on-base percentage (0.361) and team slugging percentage (0.394). He also stole 166 bases, with a low success rate of 61.9%, but he ranked first as intended. However, home runs fell from 118 in the 2022 season to 93 in the 2023 season. It was one more than the league average of 92.
We looked at this aspect in preparation for the 2024 season. After finishing the New Year’s ceremony on the 5th, Director Yeom said, “What is important to us now is development before training. “I think that if existing players develop, juniors will see their seniors and develop naturally,” he said.
The process was as ideal as the result. In KS, the batting line exploded with a team batting average of 0.331 and a team OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.931, relieving 29 years of resentment. Although the sample is small since it was 5 games, 8 home runs were hit. The strongest batting line in the regular season was LG, which burned even hotter on the highest stage.
The commander also smiled. Manager Yeom Kyeong-yeop said, “Originally, I wanted to score points through active base running at the large Jamsil Stadium, and score through home runs and long hits at the small away stadium. “I had to come to KS to play the baseball I wanted to play,” he said, adding that he was satisfied with the home run he lacked in the regular season in the most important game.
In the regular season, it was a batting lineup that lacked nothing except home runs. He was first in team batting average (0.279), and also first in team on-base percentage (0.361) and team slugging percentage (0.394). He also stole 166 bases, with a low success rate of 61.9%, but he ranked first as intended. However, home runs fell from 118 in the 2022 season to 93 in the 2023 season. It was one more than the league average of 92.
We looked at this aspect in preparation for the 2024 season. After finishing the New Year’s ceremony on the 5th, Director Yeom said, “What is important to us now is development before training. “I think that if existing players develop, juniors will see their seniors and develop naturally,” he said.
The targets of development are key players. Director Yeom mentioned the names of Kim Hyun-soo, Oh Ji-hwan, Park Dong-won, and Park Hae-min and said, “We will have Oh Ji-hwan challenge for a batting average of 0.300 and 20 home runs. Kim Hyun-soo will also aim for a batting average of 0.320 and 90 RBIs, Park Dong-won will have a batting average of over 0.280 and over 30 home runs, and Park Hae-min will have a batting average of over 0.300, which is what I and the coaches need to do, he said.
The difference in home runs between the 2022 and 2023 seasons came from Kim Hyun-soo and Oh Ji-hwan. In the 2022 season, Oh Ji-hwan hit 25 home runs, and Kim Hyun-soo hit 48 home runs with 23 home runs. However, in the 2023 season, Oh Ji-hwan hit 8 home runs and Kim Hyun-soo hit 6 home runs, making the two hit only 14 home runs. The disappearance of 34 home runs directly led to a decline in team home runs.
There is no effect without a cause. Last year, both had injuries. Oh Ji-hwan was out for about 15 days in April due to a torn side muscle. We started the season by enduring the bad parts, but as a result, the batting balance was slightly shaken.
Hyunsoo Kim has also been struggling with back pain since May. He, who scored the first game-winning shot in the 4th game of KS last year, said, “After my back hurt, I didn’t feel like I was hitting hard. “Now I feel like I’m hitting a little harder,” he said. Oh Ji-hwan also got a taste of home runs at the end of the regular season by hitting 4 home runs in September, and hit 3 home runs in KS.
The difference in home runs between the 2022 and 2023 seasons came from Kim Hyun-soo and Oh Ji-hwan. In the 2022 season, Oh Ji-hwan hit 25 home runs, and Kim Hyun-soo hit 48 home runs with 23 home runs. However, in the 2023 season, Oh Ji-hwan hit 8 home runs and Kim Hyun-soo hit 6 home runs, making the two hit only 14 home runs. The disappearance of 34 home runs directly led to a decline in team home runs.
There is no effect without a cause. Last year, both had injuries. Oh Ji-hwan was out for about 15 days in April due to a torn side muscle. We started the season by enduring the bad parts, but as a result, the batting balance was slightly shaken.
Hyunsoo Kim has also been struggling with back pain since May. He, who scored the first game-winning shot in the 4th game of KS last year, said, “After my back hurt, I didn’t feel like I was hitting hard. “Now I feel like I’m hitting a little harder,” he said. Oh Ji-hwan also got a taste of home runs at the end of the regular season by hitting 4 home runs in September, and hit 3 home runs in KS.
f Kim Hyun-soo and Oh Ji-hwan rebound as Coach Yeom hopes, they will surpass 100 home runs again. Along with Austin Dean and Park Dong-won, there can be only four hitters with 20 home runs. If Park Dong-won hits more than 30 home runs, he will become a new face in the catcher Golden Glove competition that has been dominated by Yang Eui-ji and Kang Min-ho for the past 10 years.
Don't just rely on home runs. At home, points are scored using rifles and tactics rather than cannons. So I expected more stolen bases. Coach Yeom said, “I think the steal success rate will increase further. He predicted a variety of scoring formulas, saying, “He will play less than last year, but the probability has increased, and he is thinking of more than 180 stolen bases, which is more than last year’s 166 stolen bases.”
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