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| The game between Hanwha and Lotte at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on the 18th, and Lotte Kim Dong-hyuk, with two outs and runners on the first and third bases, cheers after hitting a two-run triple in the bottom of the fourth inning. Busan = Reporter's book @sportschosun.com/2025.06.18/ |
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His batting average is around 20%, but his on-base percentage is around 40%.
Lotte Giants manager Kim Tae-hyung has been troubled by the first hitter ever since the opening. It is difficult to find a suitable first sense, and the players who have to do it have left due to a string injury.
Lotte's Yoon Dong-hee and Hwang Sung-bin are players who can play as regular players at No. 1, but veteran Jeon Jun-woo even hit No. 1 as it twisted early in the opening. Later, when Hwang Sung-bin and Yoon Dong-hee failed to play due to injuries, they found a new star named Jang Doo-sung with difficulty. It was perfect as the first hitter. He had good contact skills and was quick on his feet.
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| Lotte-KT match held at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on the 12th. In the top of the 10th inning, first baseman Jang Doo-sung advanced to second base when the check ball was taken out of the batter's box with one out and runners on first base. However, he is injured in the situation and is climbing into an ambulance. Suwon = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.6.12/ |
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However, when Jang Doo-sung was hit by a check ball against KT Wiz on the 12th and left due to an unexpected injury that caused lung bleeding, head coach Kim's worries began again. I tried putting Son Ho-young and Jeon Min-jae in it, but it wasn't cool.
Manager Kim said "I'm worried about the first hitter. "The runner has to go out in front of hitters with a high probability of No. 2 Ko Seung-min and No. 3 Reyes, but that's not going well." Jeon Min-jae was put in first against the Hanwha Eagles on the 17th, but it came after losing 0-6. Jeon Min-jae went 1 for 4 with one strikeout that day. The hit came in the ninth inning with one out and no runners.
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| Lotte won the game between Samsung and Lotte at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on the 22nd with a score of 9-6. Reyes, Han Seung-hyun, and Kim Dong-hyuk share the joy of victory. Busan = Reporter's wook@sportschosun.com/2025.06.22/ |
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And from the match against Hanwha on the 18th to the match against the Samsung Lions on the 22nd, Lotte won four consecutive games. The team ranks third in two games against Hanwha, which ranks first. Some even question whether it is a team that has left a large number of its key players.
There's something that hasn't changed in these four games. The first batter is rookie center fielder Kim Dong-hyuk. A player who graduated from Gangneung Yeongdong University and was selected in the 7th round of the 2022 Rookie Draft. Until last year, the role of loan shark and logistical guard was all that matters. However, this year, he gained fame for giving the team a winning series against Doosan in Jamsil on the 8th and is gradually expanding his position.
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| Lotte-KT match held at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on the 12th. In the bottom of the first inning, right fielder Kim Dong-hyuk jumps and catches Huh Kyung-min's foul ball with one out and a runner on the first base. Suwon = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.6.12/ |
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During the four-game winning streak, it was not a very explosive performance. His best performance was a two-run game with a double and a triple against Hanwha on the 18th. On the 19th, Hanwha had one hit and one walk on multiple bases. The two games against Samsung did not have much performance. He is batting .256 this season and .231 in the last 10 games. It doesn't suit the first hitter's performance. Director Kim also said, `We need to improve our contact" he points out.
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| Lotte Kim Dong-hyuk hits a game between Samsung and Lotte at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on the 22nd. Busan = Reporter's wook@sportschosun.com/2025.06.22/ |
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However, since the team has won consecutive games, there seems to be no reason to change Kim Dong-hyuk's No. 1 card until Jang Doo-sung arrives. And Kim Dong-hyuk has a twist. It's a low batting rate, but the on-base rate is very high. This season, the on-base percentage reaches 418%. There is no name in the ranking because it does not meet the standard at-bat, but if it fills the standard at-bat and this on-base percentage, it ranks fourth overall in the league. The core task of the first batter is on base. Even if the batting average is low, it is worth the investment if the on-base percentage is high. On top of that, the center field defense boasts a level of ability that will not be missed anywhere. It's a bonus point.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
