Last winter, I faced the cold winds of free agency, but there is reward in not giving up and preparing. Professional baseball player Ha Ju-suk (31) of the Hanwha Eagles is writing a drama of a dramatic turnaround in free agency, not missing the hard-earned opportunity that has come his way. Even with the return of starting shortstop Shim Woo-jun, he has secured a spot to play in the first team.
Shim Woo-jun, who was sidelined due to a knee fibula fracture from being hit by a pitch in the match against Kiwoom on the 10th of last month, made an appearance at the stadium ahead of the Daejeon KT game on the 3rd. Recovering at the Seosan rehabilitation group, Shim Woo-jun usually visits the stadium for physical therapy on days when he undergoes a CT scan or goes to the hospital in Daejeon. Before that day's home game, he greeted manager Kim Kyung-moon and indicated his preparation for returning to the first team.
Manager Kim Kyung-moon noted, "They say Shim Woo-jun has greatly improved," and added, "If Woo-jun comes back, I am considering putting Ha Ju-suk at second base. While defense is important, the team also needs to strengthen its offense gradually." If Shim Woo-jun returns, it would allow for Ha Ju-suk to move to second base for a keystone combination.
On the 1st, ahead of the Changwon NC game, manager Kim saw Ha Ju-suk passing by the dugout and raised his voice, saying, "We need to praise our player Ha Ju-suk a lot." He continued, "Since Ju-suk has been batting second, we have been scoring a lot. He is hitting well, but it seems he has practiced defense a lot. He is helping the team in both offense and defense. I think we could utilize him in various ways in managing the team moving forward," hinting at the possibility of using him at second base.
Having mostly played as a shortstop throughout his career, Ha Ju-suk had started three games (20⅔ innings) at second base in his second year back in 2013. Although he lacks significant experience as a second baseman, transitioning from shortstop to second base is not particularly difficult. It may feel unfamiliar at first, as he has to move in the opposite direction of a shortstop. While practice and adaptation are necessary, given Ha Ju-suk's current condition, he is expected to settle in quickly.
Hanwha started this year with veteran Ahn Chi-hong as the starting second baseman, but he has been struggling with wrist injuries and is experiencing significant batting difficulties. With a focus on recovering his batting, the possibility of him taking the field as a second baseman for the remainder of the season is low. After Ahn Chi-hong was sidelined, Hwang Young-mook and Lee Do-yoon shared the duties at second base, but if Ha Ju-suk enters the position, an overall strengthening of the offense can be expected.
Ha Ju-suk has recorded a batting average of .308 (24 hits in 78 at-bats) with 12 RBIs in 25 games this season, along with an on-base percentage of .365, slugging percentage of .372, and an OPS of .737. He has shown astonishing focus in scoring situations with a batting average of .478 (11 hits in 23 at-bats) in scoring position. For Hanwha, which has a batting production level lower than the league average, this is a level of offensive output that cannot be overlooked.
As manager Kim Kyung-moon mentioned, he has improved even more since moving into the second spot in the lineup. Starting from the game against Lotte on the 24th of last month, he has batted in the second spot for the last 10 games, recording a batting average of .350 (14 hits in 40 at-bats) and 7 RBIs, along with 3 sacrifice bunts. He has been neatly laying down bunts while there is a runner on first base, effectively connecting the chances for the middle of the lineup.
For Hanwha, the contract is encouraging as it represents the best cost-performance value for free agency. Having experienced trials during free agency last winter, Ha Ju-suk re-signed with Hanwha under terms of up to 110 million won for one year. Hanwha signed fellow shortstop Shim Woo-jun to a maximum four-year free agent deal worth 5 billion won, but they also retained Ha Ju-suk for depth. This contract was meant to rescue Ha Ju-suk, who faced cold winds in the free agency market.
In the harsh reality where he lost the starting shortstop position, Ha Ju-suk prepared for the season in the second team. In a situation where an ordinary player might lose motivation and collapse, he quietly waited and sharpened his skills, remaining resolute in the second team. He was called up to the first team in April while Ahn Chi-hong was struggling with conditions, but again dropped back to the second team after 17 days. Despite fluctuating between the first and second teams, he did not give up and seized the opportunity that arose from Shim Woo-jun's injury, making a solid impact with stable performances in both offense and defense.
Ha Ju-suk stated, "Since starting at the second team camp, I have tried to focus only on areas where I can contribute, whether in the first or second team. Initially, it was tough to go to the second team, but I prepared for it during the season. (Even if I go to the second team) I quickly refreshed and concentrated on what I need to do and the baseball I need to play." He added, "Due to team circumstances, I might have to go out in another position rather than shortstop. Although it's not easy to play another position, I am trying to acknowledge the current situation and let go of my desires."
Second base may be unfamiliar, but Ha Ju-suk is ready to take on any position. Even with the return of Shim Woo-jun, Ha Ju-suk, who has secured a spot to play as a starter, is writing a drama of a turnaround as the 'best cost-performance' player in free agency.
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