The topic of the 2022 KIA spring camp was the main shortstop. It was a picture of Kim Do-young (20), who gathered the topic of ‘super rookie’, challenging Park Chan-ho (28), who had kept the team’s shortstop position. The competition in good faith raised great expectations.
As a result, Park Chan-ho kept his position메이저사이트. From the demonstration game, he showed stable offense and defense and appealed that he had grown to the next level. Kim Do-young also performed well in the demonstration game and settled in the opening lineup, but Park Chan-ho was the starting shortstop. Park Chan-ho recorded a batting average of 0.272, 4 homers, 45 RBIs, and 42 stolen bases in 130 games last year, showing a clear rise in offense and succeeding in defending his position with his skills.
Competition is an essential element in the professional arena. Even the player who is now the main player went through the process of pushing the existing main player with his skills at first. To keep his position, he has no choice but to show it sexually. If so, the biggest issue in KIA’s spring this year is the same trend as last year, with only a different position. Rookie Byun Woo-hyuk (23), who was recruited in a trade for first baseman Hwang Dae-in (27), took on the challenge.
Hwang Dae-in, who has worked hard for the KIA for a long time to foster giant guns, played the most games in his individual career last year. He went out to 129 games, far exceeding the previous record of 86 appearances in 2021, and filled up to the regulation plate. The 91 RBIs recorded in 129 games was certainly a remarkable achievement. However, the OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.716 was somewhat insufficient to nail all the controversies.
In the meantime, Byun Woo-hyeok, who was brought in through a 1-2 trade with Hanwha, is on the rise, continuing his good form from spring camp. Byun Woo-hyeok, who has been evaluated as a trader since his days at Bukil High School, failed to find a place in the first team at Hanwha due to frequent injuries and sluggish batting. It is a card that KIA, who started collecting Uta Geopo resources in a situation where the value of the team was somewhat off, proposed and received two pitchers. And so far it’s going as expected.
The hitting in the Okinawa practice game was good, and the performance in the demonstration game was quite good. He is showing strength by posting a batting average of 0.389, 1 home run, and OPS of 1.061 in 6 games. He also recorded his first home run in his demonstration game against Doosan in Gwangju on the 19th. I don’t think it was even a full swing, but it was a home run where you could feel the raw power of going over the fence itself.
KIA initially had a plan to strengthen the corner infield by preparing Byun Woo-hyuk at both first and third base. However, third base is a position where Ryu Ji-hyeok and Kim Do-young can stand by. Byun Woo-hyeok is also taking the opportunity to play as if he focused on first base from the practice game. With Choi Hyeong-woo in the designated hitter position, the two players will continue to compete in good faith for the first base. A ‘catfish’ named Byun Woo-hyuk is triggering competition in the KIA infield, which is the picture KIA wanted.
Usually, in such competitions, priority is given to the existing main players. Because he can’t ignore what he’s been doing. A latecomer may need a performance with a stronger impact than that. Hwang Dae-in’s performance in the exhibition game is not good, but it is difficult to say that the starting first baseman has definitely changed yet. However, it cannot be denied that Byun Woo-hyeok followed him a lot. The competition between the two players is expected to be another viewing point for KIA’s remaining demonstration games.