There has been no backup or platoon rookie award in the 77-year history, and Kim Hye-sung does that? The trap of second place in the mock vote
Jun 19, 2025
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Thirty-five experts, including reporters and commentators, participated in the vote, and Kim Hye-sung received the first-place vote from three. It is no match for Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin, who received 24 first-place votes to become the overwhelming No. 1, but it has been objectively proven that he has the ability to enter the rookie competition.
Then, what are the conditions for Kim Hye-sung to get ahead of the race for the `Newcomer of the Year'. There is no doubt that it is a chance to play. However, Kim Hye-sung is not the main member of the Dodgers. The club boasts Kim Hye-sung with the plausible expression 'super utility', but is actually no different from a backup agent.
Kim Hye-sung played as a starter against the San Diego Padres on the 19th for the first time in a long time. It was the first time in four days since the San Francisco Giants game on the 15th. He missed three consecutive games until the game against San Diego the day before. In seven of the 14 games the team has played recently, they have not had a chance to play.
Manager Dave Roberts says he applies the platoon system to Kim Hye-sung, but even if the opponent has a right-handed starter, it has become more frequent.
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MLB.com said, "'Kim Hye-sung has been strategically used by the Dodgers since his debut on the 4th of last month. He played 30 games, but he started and played only 12 games until the end of the game. Manager Dave Roberts uses him primarily as a second baseman and center fielder, but he sometimes appears as a shortstop as well as a right-hander in 69 of his 73 at-bats, excluding four. It has the effect of using Kim Hye-sung in a unique way. In the batting average category since May 4, Kim Hye-sung is second to Athletics Jacob Wilson (0.396) among rookies who have posted more than 70 at-bats with 0.382. In addition, Kim Hye-sung is also showing value in base learning, and she has succeeded in all six steal attempts.
It is an ironic analysis that Kim Hye-sung is doing his part because of Roberts' platooning method. In other words, it is a nuance that if he played as the main player, he would not have been able to show that batting average and performance.
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There has never been a case in which a backup or thoroughly platooned player ranked first in the all-time 'Rookie of the Year' vote that began in 1947. In other words, there were cases where he debuted more than two months after the opening of the season, but not among the players who played only the role of backup. In the former case, Tampa Bay Rays Will Myers in 2013 and Houston Astros Yordan Alvarez in 2019 were named Rookie of the Year after making their debut in June.
In order for Kim Hye-sung to get a chance to be close to the main player, he has no choice but to reduce the playing time of second baseman Tommy Edman and center fielder Andy Paz. However, Edman, a switch hitter, is a high-paid player who is trusted by Roberts, and Pazs has grown into a home run hitter who hits cannons every day.
In fact, Kim Hye-sung has no specific reason to use it as a platoon. Despite being a left-handed hitter, he had three hits in four at-bats against a left-handed pitcher. Among the three hits, there was one home run and one double, showing outstanding slugging power. He marked a batting average of 0.359 against the right-handed pitcher. In order to aim for the Rookie of the Year, it should be considered that he met the wrong team.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
