LG Twins’ Hong Chang-ki, a prolific strikeout pitcher, is on pace for a season-high in an unlikely category. It’s a ball hit to the body.카지노사이트
In 2021, Hong became the first top hitter in 27 years to win the batting title since Hae-tae Lee Jong-beom in 1994. Back then, he had 172 hits (.328 batting average), drew a whopping 109 walks and struck out 297 times with 16 hard-hit balls, ranking second on the all-time list for most runs in a single season, topping the list with a 4.56 slugging percentage and winning a Golden Glove.
This season is on pace for 2021. He leads the league with a 4.54 OPS. He has 91 hits and 47 walks. He’s fourth in hits and first in walks.
What’s unusual is that he’s hitting more balls in play. He is also first in doubles with 17. SSG Landers, who leads the league, has hit nine this season, and Hong has almost double that.
A lot of times, the opposing pitcher throws a body ball and it goes deeper, but it happens because you look at the ball for a long time. You have less time to dodge because you have to look at the ball all the way through to judge whether it’s going to hit you or not.You might set a record for the most pitches hit in a season. The record for most pitches in a season is 31, set by Jong-ho Park of the Hyundai Unicorns in 1999. If Hong Chang-ki gets hit 15 more times, he will break the record with 32.
However, this is not recommended. Being hit by a fastball that travels over 140 kilometres takes its toll on the body. The pain lasts for a while. It can even interfere with your batting.
The biggest worry is, of course, injury. You could be out for a long time. The loss of LG’s top hitter would be a huge blow not only for Hong, but also for the team as they look to win the championship.
With a total of 155 runs as of the third day, Hong has an arithmetical possibility of 293 runs. With more pitches, he could surpass the 300-run mark and challenge Hanwha’s Kim Tae-gyun’s record of 310 set in 2016.
But for that to happen, he’ll need to make it through the season. He needs to reduce the number of pitches he hits. Of course, he doesn’t have to set a record for runs scored. An injury-free season is the priority.