"We need to work harder to become stronger."

On the 4th, at the Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, coach Lee Beom-ho had a long conversation with outfielder Kim Seok-hwan during practice before the game against the Lotte Giants. He appeared serious, urging Kim about something. The advice was to put more effort into preparing for the game against a new pitcher.

Kim Seok-hwan has been showing a different appearance this year. In the Futures team, he has displayed formidable hitting skills as a bombardier, but when he moved up to the first team, he had brought a disastrous level of hitting. This year, he received a first team call-up and is recording a batting average of .262 with 1 home run and 13 RBIs, with an OPS of .709. Notably, he has been strong in clutch situations, achieving more RBIs than hits. His batting average with runners in scoring position is .429.

Last weekend against LG, he recorded 3 RBIs in the second game and 2 RBIs in the third game, leading to a winning series. On the 2nd against SSG in Gwangju, he also had 1 hit, continuing his hitting sensation. However, in the game against SSG on the 3rd, he struck out three times against Moon Seung-won. He struggled to get his timing right, and he was not in the starting lineup for the game against Lotte on the 4th and did not play.

This was the reason why he had a long conversation with Kim Seok-hwan about the three consecutive strikeouts. Coach Lee said, "Moon Seung-won is a good pitcher, but he went in three times and struck out every time. We need to clearly identify the issues as to why that happened. While it's possible to miss solid contact, he personally needs to work on resolving this. If the timing is off, he needs to work on trying to get it right."

"I told him we need to become stronger. Although he raised his RBIs with home runs and RBIs in critical situations, that is all in the past. He needs to adjust his condition to the new games he will face. He should practice a lot to forget past pitchers and adapt to the next one, always trying to find the timing."

Kim Seok-hwan has finally found the clue to rebound from being a perennial prospect. It was the advice of his mentor and senior that he should continue building his skills with relentless effort. The meaning was that he must thoroughly analyze opposing pitchers and create his own strategies to firmly establish himself as a starting player. It was advice given because he has enough capability to do so.

In June, coach Lee raised his hitting ability through one-on-one private lessons with Kim Ho-ryeong. Although he possesses defensive skills, speed, and a strong arm, his hitting was not sufficient, resulting in limited playing opportunities. This time, he committed to modifying his batting form and sought to establish a new turning point in his hitting. He raised his average to .264 with 16 RBIs and 16 runs scored. Among 34 hits, he has 13 doubles and 1 triple. It seems that Kim Seok-hwan is becoming the next protégé.

[OSEN]

※ This article has been translated by AI. Share your feedback here.