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[스포츠서울 | 장강훈기자] The center of gravity is skewed to the left. Confidence has been gained through net reinforcement, but KIA’s concerns about power composition continue.
KIA signed a contract with foreign batter Socrates Brito (29) on the 27th for a total of $900,000. On the 23rd, he embraced free agent (FA) Na Seong-beom for a total of 15 billion won for 6 years. All of the batters who joined as a new force by signing Ko Jong-wook, who was released from SSG, are all left-handed hitters.
In ‘Pillar’ Choi Hyung-woo, powerful left-handed outfielders such as Kim Seok-hwan and Oh Seon-woo, who are in the spotlight as next-generation giants, seem to line up. KIA was also hit directly by the trend of the KBO League, which has increased the scarcity of right-handed guns. KIA’s troubles can be lessened when the right-handed guns are placed in the center line. No matter how good the configuration is, the phenomenon of leaning is undesirable. Looking at it objectively, there are no reliable right-handed guns in KIA. So Hwang Dae-in (25), who showed potential this year, should take his place.
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![[포토]](https://i0.wp.com/image.sportsseoul.com/2021/12/27/news/2021122701001091000077762.jpg?w=800)
Hwang Dae-in drew 13 arches, the most in his season this year. In particular, at the end of the season, he won the modifier of ‘next-generation giant gun’ with a terrifying blast. Hwang Dae-in, who was selected by the KIA in the first round of the second round of the 2015 rookie draft, was in the limelight as ‘Post Lee Beom-ho’. Since high school (Gyeonggi High), he has shown off his extraordinary punching power, raising high expectations. However, after joining the pro team, he hardly got a seat. He joined as third baseman, but he showed weakness in defense, and his chances of appearing naturally decreased. Because in baseball, defense always comes first.
Hwang Dae-in, who changed his position to first base, surprised everyone around him by hitting eight home runs in 46 games played since September. Due to the amount of force in his body, he hit with his left knee straight, and his body could not rotate enough, so the contact area between the bat and the ball had to be narrow. As I had more opportunities to participate in matches, I felt more relaxed, and I realized the common realization that accuracy and distance can be secured at the same time by hitting with rotational force rather than force.
Even so, the period shown is too short. If there is no confidence that he can play consistently throughout the season and his defense is average, there is a possibility that he will sit on the bench again. With a career on-base percentage of 0.311, it’s hard to see him as a starting pitcher. There are no competitors, nor is it a time to relax. Fortunately, Hwang Dae-in himself is sweating profusely to build a body even during inactivity in order to become a full-time main player.
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Najiwan’s awakening is also necessary for KIA. Whether or not he will be included in the list of protected players is unknown, but considering that he is a batter capable of 20 homers and 90 RBIs, a rebound is desperately needed. Compared to 2016-2017, when Najiwan also achieved the most consistent results, both the on-base percentage and the slugging percentage have dropped since 2019. In particular, this year, with a batting average of 0.160, he had the worst performance since his debut. He is also called a half player due to his weak defense, but if he does not raise his hitting index, he will lose his place.
Aside from the awakenings of Daein Hwang and Najiwan, it is expected that KIA will steadily increase their efforts to secure a right-handed gun. Rather, the club’s active movement may cause the awakening effect of right-handed players. This would be the best scenario for KIA.
zzang@sportsseoul.com
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