Will it be okay? Question mark on Lee Jung-hoo, who is about to open, and his back condition is okay! What's the sense of hit?
Mar 26, 2025
|
|
|
San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo (27), who ended the season early last year due to a shoulder injury and surgery, will face his second MLB season vigorously. His injured shoulder has recovered, and he is expected to be the team's center hitter from the opening game thanks to his easy performance in the exhibition game. San Francisco coach Bob Melvin plans to leave Lee Jung-hoo with the third batter and center fielder.
However, there is one question mark attached to Lee Jung-hoo, who is waiting for the opening of the regular league after the exhibition game. It is a question mark created through a series of exhibition games and an important question that will determine the success or failure of this season. Will Lee Jung-hoo be able to overcome the full-time competition with Major League pitchers
Prospects for Lee Jung-hoo in the U.S. and local media are all covered with hopeful optimism. However, all of these criteria for optimism are inferred based on past records. The overwhelming performance shown in the KBO League and the record shown briefly at the beginning of the first major league season last year are the basis.
We are optimistic about a good performance this year by adding the assumption that 'As long as Lee Jeong-hoo is healthy' to this past record. In particular, the fact that Lee Jung-hoo showed a good hit at the beginning of the exhibition game further strengthened optimism. Lee Jung-hoo hit 0.300 (9 hits in 30 at-bats), two homers, five RBIs, nine runs, four walks, seven strikeouts and an OPS of 0.967 in the first 12 games.
But at this point, a big variable appeared. It was a sudden back pain.
I woke up the next day after playing against the Texas Rangers on the 14th, and I had back and back symptoms. It seemed to get better soon, but as the pain did not subside easily, the San Francisco club conducted a thorough MRI examination and a doctor's diagnosis. Fortunately, no abnormalities were found.
|
It is certainly an encouraging phenomenon that Lee Jung-hoo's back pain has disappeared. However, it is confirmed that the batting balance is still not in place. In the final two rehearsals against Detroit, Lee Jung-hoo went 0-for-6 with one score, one walk, and one strikeout.
As a result, Lee Jung-hoo had a batting average of 0.250 (9 hits in 36 at-bats), two home runs, five RBIs, 10 runs, five walks, eight strikeouts, an on-base percentage of 0.357, a slugging percentage of 0.472 and an OPS of 0.829, in 14 spring training games. It's a little ambiguous stat to say that I did well.
|
In particular, unlike in the early stages of exhibition games, where minor league-class pitchers are mainly featured, major league main pitchers appear at the end of the exhibition game. It is much more important to make meaningful hits against these pitchers. This is because after the opening of the season, you have to face only these pitchers. It's never a good phenomenon if you hit hard at the beginning of the exhibition game and then stay silent going into the second half.
Putting these points together, it is concluded that it is difficult to be optimistic about Lee Jung-hoo's performance after the opening.
|
The record itself is not very good, especially the record of less than 50 games-200 at-bats. It is difficult to determine for sure whether Lee Jung-hoo is a good hitter in the Major League due to insufficient basic data. Even before completing the verification properly, he ended the season due to injury, leaving only expectations.
As a result, there is only hope and expectation for Lee Jung-hoo's second season. However, it is almost reckless to have premature expectations for Lee Jung-hoo, who has yet to show anything as a full-time main member. In addition, if the batting balance collapse at the end of the exhibition game and the hitless march are not temporary, there is a high possibility that they will face major difficulties early in the season.
Attention is focusing on how Lee Jung-hoo will perform in the full-fledged Major League regular season. Now, the real stage is going to unfold.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
