The first monthly ranking in 11 years (April) and the best May winning percentage in 24 years (0.630).
It was a glorious start to 2024 for the Lotte Giants. However, the fall began in June, and the fall baseball season was a failure. Despite the growth of rookie hitters such as Kim Min-seok and Yoon Dong-hee, it was a hope for the future, but it did not converge into the ‘present’.
The year 2024 is the exact opposite. The team started off with high hopes with the appointment of Kim Tae-hyung, but plunged to the bottom of the standings on April 12, just three weeks into the season. Aside from an intermittent stumble, Lotte didn’t “break out” until June 2. On June 7, it moved up a marginal notch to #8.
What’s even more remarkable is that the team’s batting lineup was completely rebuilt in about two months. Last year, Lotte’s batting lineup was so frustrating that they relied on their top two players, Jeon Jun-woo and Jeong Hoon, to be the solution. 안전놀이터 추천 The team batted .275 (fifth in the league), but struggled to score runs when they needed to.
This year, it’s a different story.
First and foremost, the backbone of the batting lineup has been revamped with relatively young players, including Hwang Sung-bin (27), Yoon Dong-hee (21), Ko Seung-min (24), Na Seung-yup (22), and Son Ho-young (30). With the exception of Yoon Dong-hee, none of these players had seen the light of day until last year. Son Ho-young, in particular, was acquired by Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung in a trade after the start of the season.
More importantly, all five players are military veterans. Four of them quickly resolved their military issues, while Yoon Dong-hee received a special exemption from military service through the Hangzhou Asian Games last year. If they keep up their current form, they are full of potential and motivation to lead Lotte’s batting lineup as a constant in the long-term plan.
The presence of Reyes, who is fourth in RBIs (52), is also a standout. But no matter how consistent he is, he can’t save the team by himself. Reyes isn’t the type of player to lead the league in home runs. He’s a great fit with Yoon, who is third in the league in home runs (49). With Yoon and the rest of the top of the batting order consistently putting food on the table, Reyes will be able to shine.
No. 4 hitter Jeon Jun-woo’s calf injury is lingering, but so far, so good. “If it gets longer, we may rest him until the first half,” Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung said. At 38 years old, every day is a challenge for the veteran, so he will give him plenty of time to recover. It’s a decision that’s made possible by the presence of a strong front five.
The only disappointment is the weakened starting lineup.
Aaron Wilkerson has been pitching well, but Charlie Barnes is out with an injury. Barnes, like Jun-woo Jeon, is likely to be out for the first half of the season. It’s unfortunate that native starters Park Se-woong and Na Kyun-ahn have struggled.
However, veteran Han Hyun-hee is stepping up. Kim Jin-wook and Lee Min-seok are just now realizing their potential after three or four years of development.
Barnes, Park Se-woong, and Na Gyun-an are pitchers who have already proven themselves to be above-average, and along with the returning Jeon Jun-woo, 카지노사이트 순위 they have much more potential to be a plus in the future.
Some in the baseball world are saying, ‘We should be rebuilding and bringing in a championship contender, but we’re rebuilding with a championship manager. Kim Tae-hyung is well aware of this public opinion. But he laughs, saying, “If the rebuilding goes well, the results will come naturally.”
Despite all the bad news, the team is only four and a half games behind fifth-place SSG Landers. It’s only mid-June, but the sun is already shining. Lotte fans are looking forward to summer. Will the “Kim Tae-hyung Era” take its first step into fall baseball after eight years?