Cardenas over MacKinnon, the opposite choice...Will I be able to avoid the nightmare of the 2020 Palka
Jul 10, 2024
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At the start of the second half, he will break up with foreign hitter David McKinnon and recruit Philadelphia Triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs outfielder Ruben Cardenas (27).
Samsung announced waivers of foreign batter David McKinnon on the 9th, the start date of the second half, and said it has agreed to a contract with a right-handed outfielder and is coordinating in detail. Samsung is set to officially announce the recruitment of Cadenas on the 10th.
Rumors of recruiting Cardenas, centered on fan cafes, have become a fait accompli. On top of that, the Philadelphia media also confirmed Cardenas' trip to Samsung through SNS.
Kadenas, who has a 1m85 and 83kg body, is a big guns-type Uta outfielder. It can play all positions in the outfield, but it is a suitable type for corner outfielders based on strong shoulders.
Cardenas, who joined Cleveland in the 16th round in 2018 after graduating from California State University, is playing for Triple-A under Philadelphia this season after playing for Tampa Bay.
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Currently recognized as one of the best sluggers at the top level of the minor leagues. In 75 Triple-A games this season, he is considered an OPS-type hitter with 20 home runs and 56 RBIs, 0.345 on-base percentage, and 0.550 slugging percentage. 56 strikeouts on 22 walks. He has 10 stolen bases (four stolen bases) this season because his feet are not slow.
The International League, to which Lehigh Valley belongs, is not as strong as the Pacific Coast League, but it has been riding and pitching this season. Nevertheless, his power over the fence is impressive enough to rank second in home runs in the league. Even if it is expanded to all Triple-A hitters, only five hitters have more than 20 home runs.
It can be an optimized player for Lions Park, a batter-friendly Samsung home stadium.
Reflecting the disappointment of McKinnon's long-shot drought, he has chosen a slugger who can hit a home run in the opposite direction.
The key is whether he will adapt to the KBO League or not. It is his first time playing baseball in an unfamiliar place outside of the U.S. In addition, if you transfer during the season, the batter's chances of a soft landing are lower than those of pitchers. In particular, in the case of long hitters who are not school hitters, more time is needed to adapt to the KBO League pitcher's tendency to avoid head-to-head games and throw a lot of inducements.
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Palka was the all-time KBO league named big shot with 27 home runs in the Chicago White Sox in the Major League in 2018, just two years before he came to the KBO, but he failed to adapt in the end.
He has a batting average of 209 percent in 51 games and eight homers and 23 RBIs in the Korean soil he stepped on during the season. He had one shot and hit, but he eventually broke up with Samsung after showing problems with contact enough to strike out 58 times in 217 at-bats.
McKinnon, who joined Samsung this season after playing for the Seibu Lions in the Japanese professional baseball league, was more accurate than a home run. As such, he has adjusted smoothly to KBO as well. Until April, he was competing for the top hitter with a batting average of 369 percent.
But he couldn't shake his psychological anxiety. Since May, the hit ball has gone head-on, leaving no room at-bat. As the hand went out to the bad ball, the batting average fell, and the heating point was pushed back, and the long hit was also missing.
He has a batting average of 294 with four home runs and 36 RBIs in 72 games. It was a disappointing performance at a time when foreigners from other teams were leading the team's batting lineup and were active as troubleshooters in the season of Tagotjeo. Samsung, which had a long way to go, seemed to be preparing an opportunity for a rebound by receiving an excellent hitter award for a home run and a double in the All-Star Game held in Incheon on the 6th, but Samsung, which had a long way to go, could not afford to wait.
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If you adapt smoothly, you will secure a young No. 4 hitter optimized for Lions Park. Compared to Palka, who had been on the top and was on a downward trend, the fact that he is a young slugger with a simple career but an upward curve makes us look forward to it.
Of course, changing batters during the season, especially recruiting home run hitters, can still be an adventure.
What kind of ending is waiting for. It is a game card that the fate of Samsung, which dreams of autumn baseball for the first time in three years since 2021, is at stake.
hschung@sportschosun.com
