For the time being, there is no fixed starting lineup for the KIA Tigers.
The KIA infield competition has reached its peak. On the 23rd of last month, Kim Do-young, a ‘2nd year 5-tool player’, returned, and second baseman Kim Sun-bin, who left due to a fractured right thumb, is about to join the first team.
There was a player who couldn’t use the last 7 games, so I didn’t feel sorry for him. Ryu Ji-hyeok, who can cover all positions in the infield, filled the position vacated by Kim Seon-bin, and Kim Do-young, who showed a good hitting feeling that made the long injury rehabilitation period overshadowed, took over as third base, originally guarded by Ryu Ji-hyuk.
In this situation, the clock for Kim Sun-bin’s comeback ran quickly. On the 19th of last month, he was diagnosed with a fracture in a detailed examination and received a diagnosis for 4 weeks. The next day (July 1), he went to Gyeonggi Province and filled two at-bats. 메이저사이트
Kim Sun-bin is expected to be called up soon. KIA coach Kim Jong-guk also said, “If there are no problems with the defense, he has no reason not to join.”
There is no possibility that Kim Sun-bin will move. Shortstop Park Chan-ho is also in a relatively solid position. After all, it is a competition between 1st base and 3rd base, both corners of the infield.
Ryu Ji-hyeok, who recorded a batting average of 0.295 in 56 games he played until the second week of June, recorded a batting average of 0.100 in 10 games he played in the last two weeks, drawing a downward curve in his batting cycle. Kim Do-young recorded a batting average of 0.290 in 7 games after returning. He performed the operation well, stealing three bases.
Recently, Kim Doyoung is in better condition. However, we cannot ignore Ryu Ji-hyeok’s contribution to helping KIA survive without a hitter.
There is a possibility that Ryu Ji-hyeok will take over as first base. From mid-June, Choi Won-joon, who joined the team after completing military service, took first base for KIA. He is a player who occupies a spot in the outfield of the national team at the Hangzhou Asian Games to be held in September, but coach Kim Jong-guk gave Woo-sung Lee, who had done well until then, a chance to continue as a starting left fielder. Coincidentally, Hwang Dae-in, who had kept his position for the past two years, went down to the second group due to poor physical condition, and the first base was empty.
Competition for first base has been fierce since last weekend’s three-game series against the LG Twins. Hwang Dae-in, who returned, started the game on the 1st and 2nd and predicted a rebound by driving 4 hits. Choi Won-joon started as the starting left fielder who was in charge of Lee Woo-sung.
In the end, he has no choice but to use infield and outfield key players as backups. On the 30th, coach Kim Jong-guk announced the policy of “I will use players in good condition” ahead of the LG match.
KIA has suffered 5 losses (2 wins) in the last 7 games, even with a splendid lineup. It seemed that Na Seong-beom and Kim Do-young would return and rebound sharply, but rather fell from 8th to 9th.
In this situation, it is desirable to change the starting lineup considering the condition, the type of opponent pitching, and the record. It’s the end of the first half, but KIA’s internal competition has just begun.