“The best solution is to keep him in the first team.”
No more Lee Dae-ho. It’s the season to break up the “next generation,” and Han is sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss.
He’s batting 2-for-1 with 52 hits in 243 at-bats. This is the lowest batting average among all KBO players who have played regular season games this season. His OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.568 is also last in the league.
It’s past time to talk about batting form changes. Han Dong-hee reverted back to his original batting lineup at the end of April after struggling to hit in the teens with the new lineup. It’s time for him to regain some of that feeling. Everyone has slumps. Cutting them short is a sign of class.
Until last year, he had hit 48 home runs in his last three years and seemed to have proven both his vision and his bat. With an OPS around 0,8 for three years in a row, it’s hard to blame his hitting coach for thinking he’s only a step away from being a giant. This is especially true when you consider the environment of his home stadium, with the tallest 6-meter fence in the KBO, and the unusually low launch angle against the fastest bat speed in the league.
The Lotte Giants will play the second game of their weekend series against the KIA Tigers at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on April 29.
With the hitting struggles, the defense has become more prominent. It’s hard to dismiss it as a “tax” anymore, whether it’s the time off or the batting performance.
In the first inning of the previous day, Han Dong-hee made a crucial error. With runners on first and second base, Kim Sun-bin of KIA missed the ball, allowing the bases to be loaded, followed by Lee Woo-sung’s RBI double. The starting pitcher was ‘Glasses Ace’ Park Se-woong. After losing his rhythm in the first inning, Park was pulled for the fifth time in 86 days, and Lotte lost 5-6. At the end of the game, Han Dong-hee was replaced by pinch-hitter Park Seung-wook.
Despite a brief stint in the second team in mid-June, the mystery continues. Since his suspension on June 4 and his return to the first team on June 15, Han Dong-hee’s batting average is 1 for 7 with 16 hits in 90 at-bats, and Lotte’s record in the same period is 10-18. It’s like she’s literally fallen into a deep well.
What is the best solution to solve Han Dong-hee’s problem? Lotte head coach Larry Sutton was clear in his thinking. The solution is simple: get her into the first team. He believes the player is worth it.
“Han Dong-hee is a player who gives her best every moment. Even though she made a mistake yesterday, it’s the same whether she’s defending or attacking. She trains hard. She doesn’t get discouraged, and I appreciate that attitude. It’s a positive addition to the team atmosphere.”먹튀검증
“As a manager, I’m trying to put Han Dong-hee in an environment where she can do well, such as facing three left-handed starters against KIA. “There are a lot of things that have improved,” Sutton said, “and we’re taking her out of the lineup when we need to increase her workload. When it all comes together, I expect her to go from there.”
Goodrum will start at shortstop for the second straight day. Noh Jin-hyuk dropped to the bench. He went 1-for-1 as a pinch hitter the day before. “He’s in good shape,” Sutton said. He’s just a little bit out of his hitting cycle, and he’s struggled against lefties this year,” Sutton said, adding, “He’s always available, whether he’s batting or playing defense.”
