[스타뉴스 | 고척=김동윤 기자]
KIA Kim Do-young hits a solo home run by hitting Ha Young-min’s second pitch with two outs in the top of the first inning against Gocheok Kiwoom on the 23rd and is heading to first base. /Photo = KIA Tigers “Today’s home run makes no sense.”
Choi Hyeong-woo (41), who ranks fourth in the KBO League’s career home runs, could not help but express pure admiration for the performance and talent of his junior Kim Do-young (21, KIA Tigers).
Kim Do-young started as the third hitter and third baseman in the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League regular season visit game (total of 10,205 people) against Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 23rd, and went 2 hits (1 home run) in 4 at-bats. He recorded 2 RBIs, 1 walk, and 2 strikeouts.
KIA won 5-2 over Kiwoom thanks to Kim Do-young’s solo shot in the top of the first inning and Choi Hyeong-woo’s timely hit with two outs and bases loaded and two RBIs in the top of the 10th inning. As a result, KIA maintained its lead with 18 wins and 7 losses.
Despite the long game lasting 3 hours and 44 minutes and the dramatic victory, the topic of the day was Kim Do-young’s thunderous home run that hit right after the game started. In the top of the first inning, with two outs and two outs, Kim Do-young fired a large home run that hit Ha Young-min’s 145 km/h fastball at eye level and hit the left outer wall of Gocheok Dome. According to the TVING broadcast, it was a hit that even cameras had difficulty tracking, with a hitting speed of 169 km, a launch angle of 38.2 degrees, and a distance of 130 m. If it weren’t for the dome stadium, which was blocked on all sides, an over-the-park home run seemed quite possible. Kim Do-young, whom we met after the game, left a simple comment, saying, “The moment I hit it, I felt like it was a good hit. When I came into the dugout after hitting the home run, my brothers said I would have flown 150 meters. It felt good.”
It was true that even the KIA dugout was surprised by this home run. Choi Hyeong-woo, who was interviewing the decorated player, gave more detailed information about the specialness of Kim Do-young’s home run. Choi Hyeong-woo said, “Kim Do-young is different from us when he hits a home run, if he hits the point, he naturally goes over the fence. However, (Kim) Do-young goes over the fence by pulling, not pushing, even if he hits the ball one or two balls behind the point. Normal people. He explained, “The fact that he was able to get over the fence even though he was hit from behind the hitting point was possible because everything, including strength, agility, and turning movements, were ridiculously superior to other people.”
KIA Kim Do-young (center) hits a solo home run by hitting Ha Young-min’s second pitch with two outs in the top of the first inning against Gocheok Kiwoom on the 23rd and is being congratulated as he enters the dugout. /Photo = KIA Tigers
During his time at Gwangju Dongseong High School, Kim Do-young was called the next Lee Jong-beom and one of the few five-tool players in high school baseball. Among them, the tool that had the most divided evaluations among scouts was the long-hitting tool. Although he had a slugging percentage of 0.626, he only sent a ball over the fence twice in three years in regular high school games.
However, a major league scout said in a phone call with Star News, “Kim Do-young’s size (182 cm, 81 kg) is not large, but his athletic ability is at the highest level and his strength is good compared to his size. This year (2021), he has one home run. There seems to be a lot of speculation about this, but before his ankle hurt, he hit a home run almost a day. It is expected that he will hit more stolen bases than home runs, and he will be able to hit double-digit home runs even if he goes pro. “I think it is,” he said.
It was as he said. Kim Do-young is not a typical slugger type, but he has the power to overcome the fences of 10 stadiums, and with his explosive speed and body rotation power that allows him to concentrate that power in an instant, he easily overcomes the fences. Choi Hyung-woo’s praise also came from that context.
With this day’s home run, Kim Do-young hit 9 home runs in April alone, ranking second in the league in that category. One difference from the leader Hanyu Island (SSG, 10). In addition, in 25 games, he recorded a batting average of 0.324 (33 hits in 102 at-bats), 9 home runs, 21 RBI, 22 runs, 10 stolen bases, an on-base percentage of 0.372, and a slugging percentage of 0.637, finally breaking the OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 1. If he continues his current momentum, he has 52 home runs and 58 stolen bases in 144 games, a record-breaking pace that could make him the first KBO player to hit 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases.
Kim Do-young’s strengths are not limited to long shots, but are even more surprising. With two outs in the top of the 6th inning, he made an infield hit with his quick feet despite a weak ground ball to third base, and in the top of the 10th inning of extra innings, he walked against Jo Sang-woo, setting the stage for a come-from-behind victory.
Kim Do-young said, “When I hit a home run in the beginning, I get a little excited and continue the game, but every time that happens, I try to quickly forget (the situation ahead). Today, I was a little excited until I went on defense, but I calmly prepared for the next at-bat. “I’m not conscious of home runs at all. Sometimes I think about how many home runs there are, but I force myself to think, ‘What kind of home run are you talking about? Just hit a hit.’ I’m not injured yet. “It’s really good, and I’m spending each day grateful that I can play baseball without having to undergo rehabilitation at this time,” he said with a bright smile.
Gocheok = Reporter Kim Dong-yoon dongy291@mtstarnews.com
ⓒ Star News & starnewskorea.com, unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited
