"It is easy to forget sometimes, but Lee Jung-hoo is still seeing everything in Major League Baseball for the first time."
Lee Jung-hoo of the San Francisco Giants had a hot April, but May has been relatively quiet. From the game against the Kansas City Royals on the 20th to the game against the Detroit Tigers on the 27th, he has hit in 7 consecutive games, achieving a batting average of .346 (9 hits in 27 at-bats), 2 RBIs, 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts for an OPS of .837.
However, on the 28th (Korean time), in a game at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan, against the Detroit Tigers, he got hit by a pitch but went silent with no hits in 3 at-bats, bringing his hitting streak to an end. In the 9th inning, with no outs and a runner on second base, he hit a weak ground ball towards left field, hoping for a lucky hit, but Detroit's left fielder Riley Greene moved forward and made a sliding catch, ending those hopes. Nevertheless, the expected batting average for that hit was as high as .720, indicating a high probability of a hit. Looking at Lee Jung-hoo's performance divided between March-April and May shows a stark contrast. In March-April, Lee Jung-hoo had a batting average of .319 (37 hits in 116 at-bats), 3 home runs, 18 RBIs, and 23 runs scored, demonstrating league-leading metrics for a center fielder. However, in May, he has managed only a batting average of .234 (22 hits in 94 at-bats), 2 home runs, 13 RBIs, and 9 runs scored, resulting in a lower OPS of .632, reflecting an average center fielder's performance.
North American sports media outlet The Athletic criticized San Francisco's offense on the 27th, directly mentioning Lee Jung-hoo. They stated, "Lee Jung-hoo was one of several Giants hitters who were on fire at the beginning of the season, but his recent performance has been declining. He has hit in 7 consecutive games but is having a terrible May." They emphasized that as a $113 million player, he is needed in the lineup. In fact, the entire San Francisco lineup is currently in a collective slump. It's not just Lee Jung-hoo; key players like Matt Chapman, Mike Yastrzemski, and Willy Adames are also silent collectively. In the last 5 games, they have scored more than 4 runs in only 1 game and have shown scoring power of only 3 runs or less. However, while Lee Jung-hoo is receiving a high salary, it can be seen that this year is essentially his 'rookie season.' This May has included trips to Chicago, Minnesota, Washington, and Detroit, all of which are cities Lee Jung-hoo is visiting for the first time. While he faced the Washington Nationals at home last year, this is his first visit to the city. The Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, and Oakland Athletics are also teams he did not face last year. The East and Central trips as well as interleague games have followed, creating environments Lee Jung-hoo is unfamiliar with.
During the last at-bat in the game against Detroit on the 28th, the commentators of NBC Sports Bay Area, which was exclusively broadcasting the San Francisco game, provided an excuse for Lee Jung-hoo's disappointing performance and defended him. The commentators, including Hunter Pence, who is referred to as a legend in San Francisco, stated, "There are facts about Lee Jung-hoo that are easy to forget. Lee Jung-hoo is still seeing everything in Major League Baseball for the first time. His professional play makes it feel like he has been here for a long time," they noted. They added, "However, that is not the case. He is experiencing a new stadium, a new backdrop at the plate, opposing pitchers for the first time, a new language, and playing in a new country," reminding everyone that Lee Jung-hoo needs to adapt. They viewed his current slump not simply as a matter of his ability or stamina but rather as an issue of unfamiliarity. They remained optimistic that Lee Jung-hoo's current struggles will be overcome with time.
Lee Jung-hoo still has plenty of time. Even if he struggles in May, he has the capacity to overcome a brief slump. While some maintain a critical perspective, others believe in and are waiting for Lee Jung-hoo's recovery resilience.
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