KIA right fielder Hwang Dae-in, 27, is batting .234 with 25 doubles, three home runs, 18 RBIs, 11 runs scored, a .640 OPS and a .333 slugging percentage in 107 at-bats in 32 games this season. That’s less impact and volume than his 2022 season, when he hit .256 with 14 homers, 91 RBIs, 40 runs scored, and a .716 OPS in 129 games.
He got his dream full-time first base job in 2022. With a year of experience under his belt, it seemed like he would be a great fit for the 2023 season, but two months into the season, he hasn’t quite gotten going. He’s not hurting, but he’s not producing.
He’s been running hard since last year. I’ve done a lot of research and trial and error, focusing on timing battles rather than striking mechanics and adjusting my leg kicks. I also accepted Choi Hyung-woo’s point about my lack of pushing ability and tried to attack more courses.
It looks like you’ve made some changes to your hitting this season as well. I think I have to hit the long ball, and that’s my strength, so that’s what I’m focusing on. But it’s not paying off. Of his 25 hits this season, he has six long balls. Three home runs and two doubles.
His hitting hasn’t been going as well as he thought it would, and his spot is threatened by the improved depth at the plate, including the presence of Byun Woo-hyuk, who was acquired in a trade. For now, Hwang Dae-in is still KIA’s starting first baseman. If he plays well, there’s no reason for him to be unseated.
In five games last week, Hwang went 6-for-17 with a .353 batting average, one home run, five RBIs, and two doubles. He also struck out six times, but he spun the bat coolly and hit his first home run in a long time on the 16th against Daegu Samsung Electronics. However, when he gets into a good flow, he can’t keep it going for long.
When he’s on a roll, he needs to be able to push harder to make his opponents feel threatened, and Hwang Dae-in tends to have long stretches of good play. It’s important to carry this momentum into this week’s six-game series against Hanwha and LG. Ultimately, it’s the solution to improving their performance and margin of victory 토토사이트.
On defense, the team is definitely more stable this year. Last year, they were disjointed and often made mistakes on easy plays, but this season, they’ve shown some promise. First base defense is never easy, but this is an encouraging row. He ranks seventh with a 90% fielding percentage according to baseball stats site Statiz.
KIA is doing a lot of work to develop its big bat prospects, including Hwang Dae-in and Byun Woo-hyuk. It’s hard to argue that they should be the centerpiece of KIA’s batting lineup going forward. While their progress hasn’t been as steep as expected, it’s still important to keep an eye on them, and sometimes you just need to cheer them on.