There were many twists and turns, but the results were never outstanding. He also went through the ‘hardship’ of moving the team as a free agent (FA) compensation player. In his 11th year as a pro, Doosan infielder Kang Seung-ho (29) is ready to put the past years behind him and properly explode his potential.
Last season, Kang Seung-ho had a hotter second half than anyone else on the team. He hit 7 home runs in 212 plate appearances, posting a batting average of 0.301 and an OPS of 0.865. In terms of the second half alone, he ranks third on the team in home runs, second in batting average, and first in OPS. With his explosive performance in the second half, he ranked first in the team’s best performance, and was rewarded with a salary. With an increase of 85 million won, which is the highest in the team based on the amount of increase, it was stamped with an annual salary of 200 million won.
No one predicted Kang Seung-ho’s ‘burning’ in the second half. 안전놀이터 That’s why the first half (0.235 batting average) was serious. In July, he suffered his worst slump, going 1-for-20.
Kang Seung-ho found the answer himself. He focused on hitting accuracy without the leg kick. Kang Seung-ho said, “Since I have strength, I thought I should focus on hitting the ball with certainty.”
The effect was clear. As his batting average rose, his on-base percentage (0.273 → 0.357) jumped, and his slugging percentage (0.315 → 0.508) rose dramatically even though he focused on contact.
Kang Seung-ho is preparing for another upgrade ahead of the 2023 season. I want to improve my ability to cope with the inside ball by reinforcing the ‘in-out swing’. Kang Seung-ho is a hitter who usually pulls. However, he had a hard time coping with the inside ball. Kang Seung-ho said, “If you look at the batting results, there were many good hits on the outside course.” Kang Seung-ho’s goal is to develop the ability to respond reliably to any course during the field training in Sydney, Australia. Some point out that he needs to improve his vision, but he focused on maximizing his strengths rather than making up for his weaknesses. Kang Seung-ho said, “I tried my best to get more walks, but if I paid too much attention to it, I couldn’t hit more.”
Kang Seung-ho’s goal for this season is to play all 144 games. He is aiming for up to 20 home runs. Last season, Kang Seung-ho hit his first double-digit home run since his pro debut with his 10th home run of the season. If Kang Seung-ho’s long hit breaks out, the team’s batting line will be much stronger. Last season, Doosan finished 8th in the league with 101 home runs.
Kang Seung-ho joined Doosan in December 2020 as a free agent compensation player for Choi Joo-hwan (SSG). In the third year of his transfer, he rose to the main axis of Yasujin. Kang Seung-ho is dreaming of a new reward player success story.