"I'm bothered too, but I have more work to do than I've done" The manager's perseverance came back with a home run in three consecutive at-bats
Aug 22, 2024
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He is the main catcher who combines offense and defense with long-range power. Coach Kang In-kwon actively appointed Kim Hyung-joon as the main catcher this season, reorganizing his home turf. Kim Hyung-joon is actually spending his first full-time season in the first division since his professional debut.
The responsibility of the main catcher was heavier than expected. Kim Hyung-joon, who played well in both attack and defense by hitting 12 home runs in the first half alone, fell sharply as his team's performance in the second half fell sharply. Originally, he was not the type of batter with a high batting average, but even his strength, the punch power, disappeared. In the meantime, the team's performance has also fallen. NC, which had been in second place at the beginning of the season, lost consecutive games and slipped endlessly, and recently lost 11 consecutive games, falling to the bottom at one point. Of course, the main catcher Kim Hyung-joon, who had a heavy task of leading the pitchers, also looked dark.
In particular, the batting slump was serious. His monthly batting average in July was only 135, or five hits in 37 times at bat. In August, he showed no signs of recovery, with only four hits in 31 at-bats until the 20th. The NC bench also tried to make changes by putting Park Se-hyuk as the starting catcher as Kim Hyung-joon's slump continued and the losing streak was prolonged.
But a miracle happened. Kim Hyung-joon was at the forefront of NC's 11th consecutive loss. Kim Hyung-joon hit three consecutive home runs against Lee Sang-kyu, Jang Si-hwan and Hwang Jun-seo in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings against the Hanwha Eagles in Cheongju on the 21st. NC, which had an uneasy 2-0 lead until the end of the fourth inning, won 8-2 as Kim Hyung-joon's cool home run hit three consecutive at-bats after the rain was suspended during the game. The end of a long and long struggle. It was the moment to end the 11-game losing streak.
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Coach Kang said, `The difference seems to be whether it will give you a break now and give you a chance to rebound or let you find a way through yourself. The ranking fight is certainly important now. However, Kim Hyung-joon has more work to do in the future than he has done,' he said, expressing strong trust.
Director Kang In-kwon also said, `It's hard for Hyung-jun right now, and it's hard for me to trust and put him in the lineup. I also want coaches to make changes, but I also have a firm idea as a coach. I'd like to wait a little longer. Isn't there another (Park) Se-hyuk behind us. I thought it was time to get out after the side dishes, but Hyung-jun went deeper than I thought. "
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There is also advice. The fact is that it is difficult to overcome when a slump occurs with a good player. Coach Kang said, `He's a good player, but he shouldn't be too good. It's not good to be nice in a game. I want to go through these processes to be greedy and angry", he left a note of advice.
Kim Hyung-joon finally responded to the director's long wait. I finally laughed.
youll@sportschosun.com
