In the race for the rookie of the year in professional baseball, LG Twins pitcher Song Seung-gi and KT Wiz outfielder Ahn Hyun-min are standing out. Both players are veterans who have completed their military service and are eligible for the rookie award.
Song Seung-gi has appeared in 11 games this season, recording 6 wins, 3 losses, and an earned run average of 2.56. He ranks 5th in ERA, tied for 7th in wins. His opponents' batting average of .205 ranks 5th, and is the best among domestic pitchers. He was discharged from the military last year and has made his debut as a starter this year, performing beyond expectations as the 5th starter.
Ahn Hyun-min has participated in 35 games, boasting a batting average of .331 (43 hits in 130 at-bats), 10 home runs, and 35 RBIs, with an on-base percentage of .416, slugging percentage of .662, and OPS of 1.078. He has 7 doubles and 3 triples, hitting extra-base hits in nearly half of his total hits. He averages one home run every 13 at-bats. The home run leader Díaz has 24 home runs with one every 10.1 at-bats, while the second-place Austin has 18 home runs with one every 11.6 at-bats.
On the 8th, the game between LG and Kiwoom is held at Gocheok Sky Dome. Before the game, LG manager Youm Kyoung-youb was asked about the comparison between Song Seung-gi and Ahn Hyun-min in the rookie of the year competition, but he avoided answering.
Instead, Manager Youm acknowledged Ahn Hyun-min's batting talent. He praised, "Even if he has power, after two strikes, he makes contact by bending his knees. So it works in the first team."
The lung hitting that Manager Youm emphasizes when mentioning a batter's talent refers to a technique where a player bends their knees to make contact with unexpected breaking balls, even in unfavorable counts. Manager Youm stated that talented hitters like Lee Jung-hoo adjust their hitting point not with their arms but with their knees, which is necessary for effective lung hitting.
Manager Youm noted, "When a powerful hitter makes contact, the number of home runs increases significantly. Contact is about hitting at the right point in front. Even after two strikes, Ahn Hyun-min has an extremely high probability of hitting home runs." Out of his 10 home runs, 2 came with a 1-ball-2-strike count, and 2 in full count. Manager Youm's words are correct.
Song Seung-gi ranked first in wins, ERA, and strikeouts in the Futures League last year. Manager Youm explained, "I believed that the data would hold up (in the first team). Looking at the tracking data, Seung-gi has good RPM and impressive vertical movement. Even though his fastball speed is 145 km/h, there are many fouls and he doesn't get hit. Even at the same 145 km/h, Seung-gi has better data, which is why I decided to prioritize him as the 5th starter."
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