[OSEN=이선호 기자] The batting genius proved why he was selected.
KIA Tigers outfielder Kim Do-young (21) showed the power of a monster hitter by making new KBO history. He set a record of 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases in a month, which had never been seen since the launch of the KBO League in 1982. After much discussion over the first round of nominations three years ago, KIA’s selection of the century bearing fruit. After considering Kim Do-young and Moon Dong-ju (Hanwha), I decided on Kim Do-young.
Kim Do-young, 24, took part in the 2024 professional baseball game against Kiwoom Heroes held at Gocheok Sky Dome and drew a big bow in his third at-bat. As the hitter led off the top of the 6th inning, Kiwoom’s second pitcher, Kim Seon-gi, hit a 143km fastball straight over the center wall. The flight distance was a whopping 130m.
It was the 10th home run of April. He has already stolen 11 bases, setting a record of 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases in a month for the first time in the KBO League. It was a precious record that even the baseball genius Lee Jong-beom, who achieved ’30 home runs and 30 stolen bases’, Eric Thames, who became the first player in the KBO League to achieve ’40 home runs and 40 stolen bases’, and Park Jae-hong, who joined ’30 home runs and 30 stolen bases’ three times, could not achieve it. In the future, it is recognized as a record that will be difficult to break unless it is Kim Do-young.
After hitting his first 130m home run of the season against Reyes in the Gwangju Samsung game on April 5, he hit double figures in 18 games. Distance is also not a problem. Four out of ten were 130m long. Four were over 120m, and the other two were 110m and 115m. The batting speed is also fast, so it flies like a bullet and hits the audience.
He only hit 3 home runs in the 2022 season and 7 home runs in the 2023 season, but this year he hit double digit home runs just one month after opening. He has a 15 game hitting streak and a 12 game scoring streak. He has a .333 batting average, 24 RBI, 26 runs, 11 stolen bases, and an OPS (slugging percentage + on-base percentage) of 1.058. With the exception of batting average (2nd), they are all 1st on the team. Manager Lee Beom-ho’s mantra, “Instead of hitting a hard ground ball, you should hit it in the air” resulted in a monster hit.
The teammates in the dugout can’t keep their mouths open because of the unprecedented batting streak. Choi Hyeong-woo, who has a total of 376 home runs and the most RBIs, said, “Of course, it’s not the hitting point where it becomes a home run if it’s hit, but it gets hit it from about two balls behind. , so instead of pushing him over, he pulls him over at the top of the league.”
It is no exaggeration to say that Kim Do-young is currently leading KIA. Kim Sun-bin and Park Chan-ho, who had been hitting well since the opening game, have missed a bit, and Socrates continues to hit sluggishly. While Lee Woo-sung and Choi Won-jun hit consistently, Kim Do-young’s home run hits make for a fearsome batting.
The legendary Jong-Beom Lee earned the title of genius by recording 196 hits, .393, and 84 stolen bases at age 24 and in his second year of college. Kim Do-young has been playing the best batting game in the league despite being only 21 years old in his third year with the team. There is also great interest in the way it will evolve in the future.
KIA chose Kim Do-young over fastball pitcher Moon Dong-ju (Hanwha) in the first round of 2022 nominations. There was even talk that he was a poor choice due to his poor performance in his first year and his inability to use his skills at 100% last year due to injury. However, due to the thrilling hit this year, it is being evaluated as a blessing. /sunny@osen.co.kr
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