It is always important to ‘one room when needed’. This is why the power of batter number 4 is needed. Then, who will be the 4th hitter of the 10 KBO League teams in the 2023 season?
Number 4 is the center of the batting line. You can expect a cannon that runs away when you are ahead, and a home run that turns the tide when you are behind. It’s a ‘solver’. Team signs are placed.
SSG, the ‘defending champion’, will stand by Hanyu Island. Last year, he digested 424 at-bats only as the fourth hitter. With 21 home runs, it decreased from 31 home runs in 2021, but it is still tied for ninth in the league. There are no home runs in the exhibition game yet. However, an exhibition game is only an exhibition game.
Kiwoom is played by foreign hitter Addison Russell. He is not a number 4 hitter. His career slugging percentage in the big leagues is only 0.392. However, Kiwoom does not see a hitter who is considered a so-called ‘Geopo’. This is why ‘Number 4 Russell’ is not strange. I increased my power and reduced the weight of my bat by bulking up. He can expect a long hit.
Kim Hyun-soo seems to be a strong candidate for LG. Since Jamsil is vast, it is best for mid-to-long-distance hitters to explode with ‘repeated hits’. However, Kim Hyun-soo is not a player without power. He hit 23 home runs last year. Tied for 5th in the league. A hitter with both accuracy and power. The role of number 4 can be enough.
KT has Park Byeong-ho, the “home run king.” Last year, with 35 home runs, he again became the league’s home run king. He surpassed Lee Seung-yeop (5 times) and even held the title of ‘the most home run king’. He is the only 30 home run hitter in the league. No more modifiers needed. Even in 2023, number 4 belongs to Park Byeong-ho.
In KIA, Na Seong-beom is the first to catch my eye. Last year, he produced a batting average of 0.320, 21 homers, 97 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.910. He is the best hitter for number 4 on the team. Due to calf muscle problems, he has not been able to participate in the demonstration game, but if he returns to normal, he will be ranked 4th.
NC is Jason Martin, a new foreign hitter. He produced a .285 batting average, 32 homers, 107 RBIs and a .938 OPS at Triple-A last year. It was in poor condition in the demonstration game. However, it is too early to judge by grades now. Adaptation period is necessary for everyone.
Samsung is Oh Jae-il, a ‘model free agent’. He has hit 25-21 home runs over the past two years. 97-94 RBIs. Samsung’s thirst for giant guns has been completely washed away. In 2021, the team played a decisive role in climbing to second place in the regular league. This season, Oh Jae-il’s name is included in the fourth batting order.
Lotte, where Lee Dae-ho left, Han Dong-hee is the ‘successor’. Last year, he posted a batting average of 0.307, 14 homers, and an OPS of 0.817. He hit 17 homers for two consecutive years from 2020 to 2021. There is no 20 home run season yet. Since there is no Lee Dae-ho, Han Dong-hee needs to take his place in the 4th position. 스포츠토토
Doosan puts their hopes on Jaehwan Kim. He hit 23 home runs last season. Instead, his batting average of 0.248 and slugging percentage of 0.460 fell short of his expectations. He is a hitter who can set more records. He has one home run and a 0.720 slugging percentage in exhibition games. If Kim Jae-hwan hits more than 30 homers, coach Lee Seung-yeop can laugh too.
Hanwha sees Roh Si-hwan. He himself said, “Last season was a failure.” Only 6 home runs. That’s one-third of his 18 home runs in 2021. Prepared for the off-season. In the exhibition game, he is flying with a batting average of 0.407 and 3 home runs. His slugging percentage is 0.815. If this is the case even in the regular season, it is enough for Hanwha to look high. raining99@sportsseoul.com