Nico Goodrum’s Struggles Continue in his 2nd Month with Lotte Giants
September 7, 2023 at 11:32:24
By Correspondent Kim Han-soo, hangang@busan.com
Lotte Giants Lose 2-7 to Samsung, Goodrum’s Performance Comes Under Fire
Lotte Giants outfielder Nico Goodrum, who joined the team just two months ago, is facing scrutiny as his performance continues to decline. Despite high expectations as a versatile switch-hitting player, Goodrum’s batting and defensive abilities have left much to be desired. Fans are growing increasingly concerned about his potential for improvement in the remaining games of the season.
In their recent game against the Samsung Lions on the 6th, Lotte suffered a 2-7 defeat, bringing an end to their winning streak. Goodrum’s performance was marred by two costly fielding errors, contributing to his team’s loss. With a total of 10 defensive errors in 33 games, he currently shares the unfortunate first place rank with Han Dong-hee. Additionally, Goodrum’s offensive statistics paint a bleak picture, with a batting average of .260, 20 RBIs, and no home runs.
“Foreign hitter Nico Goodrum was recruited by the Lotte Giants to bolster the team’s batting and defense, but his performance has been lacking thus far,” said Giants’ spokesperson.
“We had hoped that Goodrum’s switch-hitting abilities would have a positive impact on the team, but his struggles at the plate and in the field have raised concerns among fans.”
Missed Opportunities and Defensive Mishaps Against Samsung Lions
Lotte’s game against the Samsung Lions was marked by a critical defensive error by Goodrum in the second inning. Playing as shortstop, he failed to catch a routine fly ball, allowing Samsung to secure a crucial advantage. This mistake put a damper on Lotte’s strong defensive start.
With runners on first and second base, Goodrum’s missed catch on a fly ball hit by Samsung’s Jaeil Oh proved costly. Subsequently, Oh advanced to first base safely, loading the bases. The ensuing sacrifice hit led to Samsung scoring their first run. Goodrum’s error continued to haunt his team as they struggled against their opponents for the rest of the game.
High Hopes Dashed as Goodrum’s Performance Falters
When Lotte Giants signed Nico Goodrum on July 11, they had high hopes for his defensive prowess and accurate hitting skills. However, after nearly two months with the team, Goodrum has failed to live up to expectations. In 33 games, he has recorded a batting average of .260 (32 hits in 123 at-bats), 20 RBIs, an on-base percentage of .333, a slugging percentage of .325, and an OPS of .658. Notably, he has yet to hit a home run.
Goodrum’s defensive performance has been particularly disappointing. With a total of 10 errors, he currently holds the unwanted distinction of having the highest number of errors among outfielders in the team. He shares this position with Han Dong-hee, who has accumulated the same number of errors in 84 games. Goodrum’s recent string of mistakes, including three errors in a single game against the KT Wiz, has further undermined his credibility as a reliable fielder.
“Goodrum’s struggles are cause for concern, not just for the team but also for interim manager Lee Jong-woon,” commented a representative from the Lotte Giants. “As we strive to secure a spot in the fall baseball competition, Goodrum must reflect on his performance and deliver the level of play expected of him. Failure to do so may result in necessary changes.”
For media inquiries, please contact Kim Han-soo at hangang@busan.com
2nd month after joining Lotte, Gudrum’s position is getting smaller
Enter: 2023-09-07 11:32:24
Correspondent Kim Han-soo hangang@busan.com
Lotte gave up the winning streak with 2-7 losses against Samsung on the 6th
Goodrum, even 2 common outside fly ball errors
Tied for first on the team with 10 defensive errors in 33 games
0.260 batting average, 20 RBI, average performance… ‘0’ home runs
Lotte Giants outfielder Nico Goodrum has played in 33 games since joining on July 11, recording a .260 batting average, 20 RBIs, and a .658 OPS. With 10 errors, Gudrum is in first defense position with Han Dong-hee and the Lotte team. Courtesy of Lotte Giants
Foreign hitter Nico Gudrum (30, USA), who was recruited by the professional baseball Lotte Giants to strengthen the team’s batting and defense, is suffering from a sluggish performance. Goodrum raised high expectations to play an active role in the KBO League by taking advantage of the advantage of being a two-handed hitter who can get in left and right at bats, but he has not been satisfactory in terms of batting and protect Fans are also questioning whether Goodrum will be able to rebound in the remaining games this season.
Lotte lost 2-7 in the 10th game of the season against the Samsung Lions held at Munsu Stadium in Ulsan on the 6th. Lotte started pitcher Na Kyun-an, giving up 1 run in 6 innings, but the pitching team consisting of Choi Jun-yong, Kim Jin-wook, Jin Seung-hyeon and Kim Kang-hyeon lost a lot of runs and put’ the best for her. a win for Samsung. The batting line-up was also quiet, scoring just two runs. Lotte tried to win three consecutive victories, but failed to achieve her goal.
Lotte Giants outfielder Nico Goodrum has played in 33 games since joining on July 11, recording a .260 batting average, 20 RBIs, and a .658 OPS. With 10 errors, Gudrum is in first defense position with Han Dong-hee and the Lotte team. Courtesy of Lotte Giants
Lotte gave Samsung an excuse to take the first step in the game that day with one unfortunate defense in the second inning. The mistake of Goodrum, who started as shortstop, poured cold water on Lotte’s defense, which was going well.
At the start of the second inning, with 1st and 2nd bases unsafe, Gudrum missed a routine outside fly ball that was hit by Jaeil Oh, Samsung’s 6th hitter. Meanwhile, Oh Jae-il moved to the first position and became a safe and full center. Following Gudrum’s error, Na Kyun-an allowed an outside sacrifice hit that scored the first run. Gudrum’s mistake continued as a stain in the game, which turned into a tight battle between Kyun-an Na Lotte and Samsung’s Widener.
Lotte Giants outfielder Nico Goodrum has played in 33 games since joining on July 11, recording a .260 batting average, 20 RBIs, and a .658 OPS. Courtesy of Lotte Giants
Goodrum originally joined Lotte after being evaluated for his excellent defensive skills and accurate hitting skills. On July 11, Lotte released Jack Rex, who was suffering from a knee injury, and recruited Goodrum for an annual salary of $400,000.
Now, about two months later, Goodrum’s hitting is common and his defense is faltering. My position in the team has narrowed considerably. Goodrum played in 33 games of the 6th, with a batting average of 0.260 (32 hits in 123 at-bats) and 20 RBI, an on-base percentage of 0.333, a slugging percentage of 0.325 and an OPS of 0.658. Goodrum has hit just eight doubles and has yet to hit a single home run.
Lotte Giants outfielder Nico Goodrum has played in 33 games since joining on July 11, recording a 0.260 batting average, 20 RBIs, and a 0.658 OPS. With 10 errors, Gudrum is in first defense position with Han Dong-hee and the Lotte team. Courtesy of Lotte Giants
The defense is even more disappointing. Goodrum has 10 errors, the most of any outfielder on the team. He is tied for first place with Han Dong-hee, who committed 10 errors in 84 games. Goodrum made mistakes in 3 out of 4 games he played in September and shows restlessness in defense. In the game against KT Wiz on the 26th of last month, he recorded 3 errors in one game, making the game difficult.
It is time for Gudrum, who has to show a different side of himself in the remaining games of this season, to think deeply about his play. Interim manager Lee Jong-woon of Lotte’s concerns are also deepening. Lotte is now in an urgent position to build a multiplier towards advancing to fall baseball one game at a time. If Goodrum doesn’t play his role 100%, he may have to make other choices.
Correspondent Kim Han-soo hangang@busan.com
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