Strikeouts are usually the worst case scenario for a hitter, but the best case scenario for a pitcher. In order for a hitter to produce a result, such as a hit, a ball in play is basically required. However, a strikeout makes the probability of hitting the ball in play 0%. It is a structure that cannot be followed by luck.

So, the walk/strikeout indicator is chosen as a leading indicator for predicting the future performance of a batter or pitcher. Although there are extreme home run hitters with a low ratio, it is not easy to achieve a long run in the long run. Because something comes out when you hit it with a bat. This year, Hanwha foreign batters have the worst ratio ever. I feel like I’m stuck in a hemp.

Ahead of this season, Hanwha made a winning move by recruiting Brian O’Grady instead of Mike Tuckman, a foreign hitter who performed well last year. Tuchman was a solid player in both offense, defense and state, but he was relatively lacking in home runs. Long hits were lacking in the Hanwha batting line, and O’Grady was expected to fill the gap. However, O’Grady soon tasted the misfortune of being expelled.

It was shocking that he fell with a batting average of 0.125 in 22 games, but it was more problematic that he showed no signs of improving. There were too many strikeouts. O’Grady struck out 40 times in 86 plate appearances in 22 games. His strikeout rate was 46.5%. Although the sample is not large, it was an all-time high strikeout rate. Conversely, he only picked 5 walks.

If he had few strikeouts, a lot of walks, and a lot of balls in play, he could have waited a little longer as he was a powerful hitter. This is because he has the potential to rebound his performance once he catches on. However, this walk/strikeout ratio became a factor that had no choice but to predict O’Grady’s future negatively, and in the end, Hanwha had to admit its failure by recruiting a new foreign hitter, Nick Williams.

The problem is that Williams doesn’t show any improvement in this ratio either. Williams has a batting average of 0.189 and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.535 in 18 games of the season until the game against SSG Incheon on the 30th. He even hit two home runs, but he’s been hitting one hit per game lately. But the strikeout/walk ratio isn’t too good. It’s a structure that makes O’Grady’s nightmare come to mind again.

Williams had 76 at-bats in 18 games, striking out 25 of them. As a percentage, it is 32.9%. He’s not at the level of O’Grady, but it’s very high nonetheless. On the other hand, only one walk was chosen. His walk/strikeout ratio is 0.04, which is the worst. Although the sample is small, it is unavoidable to be anxious.

In the match against SSG Incheon on the 30th, the ‘harm of strikeouts’ was well revealed. Williams, who recently went down to 7 times due to sluggish hitting, recorded 3 strikeouts in 4 at-bats that day. He was the second at-bat, and he struck out in the 4th inning with 2nd out and 1st and 2nd base scoring chances and failed to produce an RBI.

In particular, the 8th inning, trailing 1-4, was painful in that it was the last chance to pursue. In the 8th inning, Hanwha’s pinch hitter Kim In-hwan completed his mission with a right-handed hit, followed by Ha Joo-seok’s right-handed hit again, taking the chance to secure 1st and 2nd base. The player who came to the plate here was Williams. In a situation where they were three points behind, it was not the timing to take a strategy such as a foreign batter bunt. Whatever Williams did, he had to make the ball in play and fix something.

However, Williams eventually struck out again without getting the timing right. The opportunity for runners to move was fundamentally blocked. Following Williams’ strikeout, the follow-up batters were forced to feel more pressure, and Park Sang-eon’s well-hit ball was sucked into third baseman Choi Jeong’s glove, completely breaking the chase. Entering the dugout, Williams put on a frustrated expression, but he couldn’t turn back.꽁머니지급

O’Grady and Williams have slightly different styles. O’Grady is relatively more of a big gun type, and Williams is a bit safer compared to him. In fact, Williams’ miss rate is not higher than O’Grady’s. But there are too many fouls, and that could be an indicator that Williams hasn’t adjusted to the KBO league stage yet. After 2S, he is still struggling with contact.

O’Grady could have been replaced. It means that he was able to hold out hope that the new player would be better. However, now Hanwha has used up all foreign replacement cards. Williams has no backs and has to adapt somehow, but there are still far more negative numbers on overall metrics like walk/strikeout rate, exit velocity and infield batting average. Hanwha’s farming of foreign hitters is terribly unsolved. Could a surprise twist happen?