The delayed geopo project is restarted. If successful, they can become a true hitting team. Not only are the 9 key players strong, but even the bench becomes reliable. It will have the dignity of an all-star team that scores frighteningly throughout the pennant race. LG ‘Jamsil Big Boy’ Lee Jae-won (24) started the engine.
He spent the winter 메이저놀이터with more pride than ever. He had a lot of motivation. The new head coach Yeom Gyeong-yeop announced that he would continue to put his name on the lineup. Giving an example of how Park Byeong-ho became the top hitter in the past, he promised to play the next day even if he struck out 4 times in one game. During the finish camp last November, Lee Jae-won looked at the 2023 season with a bright smile. His anticipation for the new season seemed greater than the regret of canceling his managing support.
He prepared faithfully as expected. He had his direction clear from finish camp. Even if he strikes out, he vows to continue fighting his opponent’s battery and not to bat for balls that are far out of the strike zone. While receiving special guidance from coaches Ho-Jun Lee and Chang-Min Mo during the Arizona camp in the United States, he created a hitting mechanic that maximizes long hit production, which is an advantage, but does not give up accuracy. Although there was a lot of training, he stared at the leap without showing any signs of hardship.
The trailer was short but intense. During his demonstration game, against Gocheok Kiwoom on March 25, he played an active role with 2 hits and 2 RBIs in 2 at-bats including a home run. However, later, the side injury suffered at the end of the camp recurred, and the opening entry was not even made. After focusing on treatment and rehabilitation for about a month, he came up to the first team after digesting 19 at-bats in 5 games in the Futures League. On the 7th, against Doosan in Jamsil, he played his first 1st team game this season, and had no hits in 2 at bats.
Power no one doubts. Park Byeong-ho also picked Lee Jae-won as the young power hitter to watch the most. In addition, it was predicted that the meeting between director Yeom Kyung-yeop and Lee Jae-won would create a synergistic effect. If you maintain your swing and practice consistently, you will come to a point where you can achieve your full potential with power and accuracy in harmony.
This was also the reason Director Yeom was so sure of Lee Jae-won’s success. As Park Byeong-ho has already made a success case, Lee Jae-won can reproduce it as well. It was noted that Jaewon Lee not only possessed power, but also possessed speed and flexibility despite his large physique.
The key is the seat. In both the outfield and first base, Lee Jae-won’s position, LG is stronger than any other team in the league. Four people, including two national team outfielders Kim Hyun-soo and Park Hae-min, 2021 Golden Glove Hong Chang-ki, and Moon Seong-joo, who boasts the most perfect batting mechanic on the team, are in charge of three outfield positions and one designated hitter.
Austin Dean, who is more familiar with the outfield than first base, built the best batting line in the league by playing first base. Shortstop Oh Ji-hwan, catcher Park Dong-won, third baseman Moon Bo-kyung, and a resurrected Kim Min-seong took second base to complete a tight batting line. Everyone is afraid of the LG batting line as they rank first in team batting average (0.294) and first in team OPS (0.794).
However, Director Yeom is not satisfied with this. As soon as he took the baton, he was confident that LG would become a hitting team and planned to actively use depth. During the camp, Lee Jae-won was given first base defense training, and the space for Lee Jae-won was expanded. Austin is the starting first baseman, but when Austin needs a break, Lee Jae-won can make it to the lineup as first baseman. If one of the outfielders needs a break or shows signs of slowing down, Lee Jae-won will open the selection card.
Above all, this year, LG actively deploys a right-handed hitter if the opponent puts up a left-handed starting pitcher. As all four outfielders are left-handed hitters, the day Lee Jae-won faces a left-handed starting pitcher will soon be the day Lee Jae-won starts as an outfielder. Although the percentage of left-handed hitters was greater than that of right-handed hitters in LG each season, the proportion of right-handed power hitters is expected to increase as well, with Park Dong-won, the current home run leader, and Lee Jae-won, who hit three home runs in Austin.
don’t go in a hurry Until this week’s three-game series, focus on developing a sense of the game by digesting one or two at-bats as a pinch hitter. Afterwards, Lee Jae-won plans to be added to the lineup through outfield or first base rotation. It is noteworthy that the weekend three-game series will be held at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, a hitter-friendly stadium.
If you succeed, you will catch two rabbits: maintaining a strong batting line and arranging stamina. Always at the end of the season, the coldness of the other line may not repeat itself. Manager Yeom said, “There were many cases where the batting line at the end of the season struggled because of the high dependence on the starting player. This year may be different. When Lee Jae-won returns to the outfield and Son Ho-young returns to the infield, the infield and outfield all rotate.”
In the 2022 season, LG ranked second in both categories with a team batting average of 0.269 and a team OPS of 0.742. However, during the 32 games played from September to the end of the season, the team’s batting average was 0.251 and the team’s OPS was only 0.679. At the most important point, the other line deviated from the normal track and failed to catch the leading SSG.
◇2022 season LG monthly team batting average and team OPS