'Not to fall further' June 0.146 → August 0.323 National Shortstop Wandering End seen
Aug 15, 2024
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NC Dinos shortstop Kim Joo-won was selected as a member of the Hangzhou Asian Games and Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) national team last year and was reborn as a 'national shortstop'. As a player, I was able to experience a good opportunity to upgrade to the next level at a young age of 21.
However, there were many ups and downs this season, which started with high expectations. A long slump has come due to changes in batting form. The slump, which I thought would be temporary at the beginning of the season, continued until the end of the first half. Kim Joo-won is not a batter with a high batting average. Last year, he played 127 games and played as the main shortstop, but his batting average for the season was only 233. The characteristics of the position of shortstop, where defense is so important, also had to be considered. However, signs of a long-term slump this season were different.
The crisis naturally came as well. Kim Joo-won's chance to play in the game, who had been playing as a solid and undecided shortstop, also decreased. The number of days when he was replaced or left out of the starting lineup also increased. His batting average for the season went up and down around .200. Kim Joo-won's monthly batting average in June was only 146 (7 hits in 48 at-bats). The season's batting average, which exceeded 20%, also fell back to the 190 level.
However, since the beginning of the second half of the year, it has been showing a clear improvement. Since the start of August, Kim Joo-won's monthly batting average has been .323 (10 hits in 31 at-bats) as of the 14th. This is the best pace since the opening of this season. The number of "multi-hit" games has increased, and most of all, the hit, which was blocked by a single hit, has changed as the double continues to explode.
NC manager Kang In-kwon is also positively watching Kim Joo-won's change. Coach Kang In-kwon said, `My appearance in the at-bats is definitely better than at the beginning of the season. I think the hit I have is now established. "There have been parts where the form has been modified whenever the result is bad, but those parts are disappearing now. We are constantly using what we have prepared so far for the game."
As it has overcome the big crisis on its own, it is not seen as a temporary 'sparkle' effect. Coach Kang said, `I think it will continue to get better. Looking at the way he's hitting now, I don't think he's going to fall back from here, but I think there's only something left to get better."
NC is in a serious situation in dealing with the attack due to the departure of Son Ah-seop and Park Gun-woo from major injuries. The team's recent hit productivity itself is not bad, but it feels particularly regrettable that there is no clear fixer.
However, Kim Joo-won's revival solves the team's batters' concerns. It is good to see the increase in the batting sense of the main shortstop, who can serve as a link to the central lineup.
youll@sportschosun.com
