“He has changed his batting form a lot.”
The key players leading the Samsung Lions in professional baseball can be classified as Ko Ja-wook, Kang Min-ho, and Won Tae-in. However, those who are simultaneously responsible for the present and future are outfielders Kim Ji-chan, Kim Seong-yoon, and infielders Lee Jae-hyun and Kim Young-woong, who are growing together closely. In particular, among them, Kim Young-woong was the power-hitting infielder who refreshingly satisfied the thirst of Samsung fans.
Kim Young-woong, who graduated from Mulgeum High School and was selected as the overall third pick in the second round of 2022, played his first full-time season last year. Backed by overwhelming support, he posted a batting average of .252 (115 hits in 456 at-bats), 28 home runs, 79 RBIs, and an OPS of .806 over 126 games. He signaled the revival of the power-hitting lineup by hitting a string of impressive home runs with his powerful swing.
However, this year, Kim Young-woong has not shown the explosive batting he had last year. He has recorded 8 home runs. However, his accuracy at the plate has significantly dropped. His batting average is only .234 (52 hits in 222 at-bats). Most importantly, his strikeouts have surged. He has struck out 77 times, leading the league in strikeouts. It's an undesirable title.
For a power-hitter like Kim Young-woong, strikeouts are naturally bound to follow. Last year, he struck out 155 times, ranking third in the league for most strikeouts. However, this year, he is unable to produce results at the plate and has lost confidence.
Manager Park Jin-man ultimately sent Kim Young-woong back to the second team on the 20th. Aside from a stint on the injured list due to a collarbone injury in early May, this is the first time he has been demoted to the second team this season purely due to poor performance.
Manager Park Jin-man said, 'It seems like he is struggling both technically and mentally. It looks like he needs time to regroup.' He has not decided when to call him up again. 'I will continue to receive reports and observe. I have not set a call-up date and will consider it when he improves,' he noted.
Manager Park Jin-man identified the mental fluctuations as a change in hitting form. Just before being dropped from the first team, he went four games without a hit (0-for-9). Park said, 'He has been frustrated himself, so he seemed to want to make a lot of changes.' He added, 'It's rare for a change in batting form during the season to yield positive results. It's not easy. Even if it’s not good, he has to find a way to raise his timing and condition with his own form. He might improve in the short term by changing his form, but I believe it ultimately has a negative impact in the long run. However, in his last at-bat, I noticed he had changed his form a lot. So, I think he needs some time to regroup now.'
Everyone hopes Kim Young-woong can regain last year's performance. All members of Samsung, including Manager Park Jin-man, are waiting for the day when Kim Young-woong shows his powerful swing again.
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