“Choi Hyung-woo keeps coming out as the lead batter.”
It was the story of SBS Sports caster Lee Jun-hyeok, who relayed the match between Doosan and KIA on the 12th. In fact, Choi Hyung-woo went to bat as the lead batter in the 2nd, 4th, 7th, and 9th innings. He was the designated hitter number 4, but the number 4 hitter was the same as the number 1 hitter. 4 at-bats, 1 hit, 1 strikeout.안전놀이터
Commentators Lee Soon-cheol and Kim Tae-hyung all pointed out that Choi Hyung-woo’s hitting feeling was not good. He’s hit so well in the meantime, it’s time for the cycle to go down. However, from his opponent’s point of view, it would have been less burdensome to meet Choi Hyeong-woo as the lead batter. This means that KIA’s attack has not been resolved. In fact, he was tied up by Doosan starting pitcher Kim Dong-ju.
The fact that No. 4 Choi Hyeong-woo was the lead batter throughout the game meant that Socrates Brito, No. 3, continued to make the final out of the inning. Socrates struck out at bat after two outs in the first, third, sixth, and eighth innings. No hit in 4 at-bats with 4 strikeouts.
1 company and 1 base in the 1st and 3rd innings, but it was not a scoring position, so it would have been relatively less regrettable for KIA. However, in the 8th inning, 2 out and 2nd base were in scoring order. It was at this point that KIA, which had been dragged along throughout the game, came to life after a long time with pinch hitter Lee Chang-jin’s solo shot and Park Chan-ho’s walk. Although they fell behind by 3 points, it was unclear how the game would flow if a long hit came from the center line.
Moreover, Jong-wook Koh, the 2nd batter from 1st out and 2nd base, was blocked by Doosan center fielder Jeong Su-bin’s lake rain. So KIA desperately needed a shot from Socrates, the third hitter. However, Socrates struck out on a 147km fastball with 9 pitches and a full count against Doosan lefty Lee Byung-hun, striking out. It was the moment when KIA’s pursuit power was broken.
As a result, if Socrates reached base even once, Hyung-Woo Choi could have entered the plate and the flow of the game could have changed. It was a very sad Friday night for Socrates. Not bad with a batting average of 0.289, 1 home run and 7 RBIs in the last 10 games. However, starting from the 3 home games against SSG this week, it feels like the pace is slightly off. In four games this week, he went 2-for-16 with six strikeouts.
In 29 games this season, 31 hits in 113 at-bats, a batting average of 0.274, 2 homers, 16 RBIs, 10 runs, an OPS of 0.701. He has a decent 0.321 batting average in scoring position (9-for-28), but has seven singles. His only long hits were a double and a home run. Director Kim Jong-guk seems to have some regrets about this part. Ahead of the game on the 12th, “Socrates is making a hit, but I hope he will do more as a central hitter in the chance. I wish I could hit a long hit.”
Socrates’ slugging percentage is 0.363, which is 39th in the league. It’s good on the team, but considering that it’s a foreign hitter, it’s true that the impact is slightly less in the league. Originally, he is a type that shows his strengths in average, defense, running, etc. rather than long hitting, but this season has not yet fully started.
In fact, Socrates flew in full swing in May of last year. In 26 games, he had a batting average of 0.415, 5 homers, 28 RBIs and 20 points. He was the best hitter in the league. However, in May of this year, it definitely feels like the fire is not ignited. 6 hits in 23 at-bats, 0.261 batting average, 3 RBIs, 1 run. 0.278, 2 homers, 13 RBIs, 9 points, rather than April, the pace has fallen more.
Still, it has the ability to adjust itself, and there is an advantage that the adaptation to the league is over. In any case, there is definitely merit in leading the batting line without Na Seong-beom and Kim Do-young in front with Choi Hyeong-woo. However, KIA expects Socrates to produce more dramatic highlight films.