KIA’s next-generation shortstop Kim Do-young (20), who was given the opportunity to play shortstop due to Park Chan-ho’s sudden finger injury, will return to third base for now. KIA, which is on a losing streak, will refine its defensive formation and batting order for the game against Doosan in Gwangju on the 18th.
KIA has announced its starting lineup for its upcoming game against Doosan at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on April 18. One notable change is Kim Do-young’s return to the lineup. He will return to his familiar spot at third base in the starting lineup.
After suffering a foot injury in the opening series of the year and undergoing a long rehabilitation, Kim has shown that he is one of the best talents in the KBO. Not only did he excel on offense, but also at the plate, giving KIA’s bats a boost. However, his position has recently changed. This was due to the sudden injury of Park Chan-ho, the starting shortstop and leadoff hitter in the second half of the season.
Park tore a ligament in his left fourth finger while sliding headfirst to first base after hitting a grounder to shortstop in the fifth inning against Samsung Electronics in Daegu on Dec. 12. He remained on the first team roster because he can field and run with his gloved hand, but his bat has a ring to it and he hasn’t started yet for protection. Immediately after the injury, it was estimated that he would need three weeks to get back to hitting normally. His full-time return is likely to be sometime in late September/early October.
Kim Do-young has been touted as a possible replacement. A highly talented shortstop in high school, Kim came to the pro ranks as the third outfielder next to Park Chan-ho, who has been a steady starter. But with Park Chan-ho out of the lineup, Kia was in need of an alternative and trusted the talents of Kim Do-young, who had been on the rise in both the offense and defense lately. Kim started at shortstop for three consecutive games, from the 13th against Lotte to the 17th against Doosan. He even batted first in the batting order.
Coincidentally, he didn’t perform well after moving to first base. In his three games at first base, he went 0-for-12 with a walk and a strikeout. His overall batting average has also deteriorated. It’s hard to say much about his defense at shortstop because not many balls are coming his way, but there are concerns that he’s feeling the pressure. His batting average, which had been in the low 30s, dropped to .287.
For now, KIA manager Kim Jong-kook believes that the batting order does not have much of an impact on the batting. When asked about the issue before the game against Doosan in Gwangju on the 18th, Kim laughed and said, “If you’re a No. 4 hitter, you’ll understand,” and then added, “It’s more about the mechanics than the batting order. After Daegu (Samsung Electronics), I saw that he was trying to hit a lot with his upper body.” “I talked to the batting coach. “I talked to my batting coach, and he said, ‘You need to simplify your upper body a little bit more, but you need to swing with your lower body. I had a lot of upper-body swings,” he said.
Regardless of the burden of the batting order or his tendency to hit front-to-back, Kim’s hitting mechanics were broken even before he moved to shortstop. As for his defense, he said, “I didn’t get many hits. I can’t really say anything,” he said, only pointing out that he had prepared a lot as a third baseman, so his batting mechanics would be different and his movements would be a little different.
“Kim Do-young will play third base for the time being,” Kim said, adding that the shortstop position will be a situational one. On the 18th, Kim Kyu-sung will be the starting shortstop. “Kim Kyu-sung has a lot of experience at shortstop,” Kim explained, “and since Park Chan-ho will be playing in the second half, we will operate according to the situation.”먹튀검증
The decision to send Kim to third base was also based on the fact that the team’s defense at third base has been struggling lately. After Park Chan-ho’s injury, KIA moved Kim to shortstop and used Choi Jeong-yong and Byun Woo-hyuk as the starting third basemen, but coincidentally, both players made mistakes. Just as Kim hasn’t had much experience playing shortstop this year, neither player has much time at third base.
KIA’s batting order is Choi Won-jun (center field), Kim Do-young (third base), Na Sung-beom (right field), Choi Hyung-woo (designated hitter), Kim Sun-bin (second base), Socrates (left field), Byun Woo-hyuk (first base), Han Jun-soo (catcher), and Kim Kyu-sung (shortstop). Hwang Dong-ha will be the starter.
Kim’s plan is to have Hwang Dong-ha pitch about four innings, as he did in his previous start, and then mobilize the bullpen accordingly. However, when asked about key bullpen Im Ki-young, who was at the Deungnamhae Hospital at around 1 p.m., Kim said, “I think it will be difficult for him to play. I’m sure he’s worried and concerned about that (childbirth). I don’t think it will be easy today. I’m going to come out late and warm up, but if I can, I think Ki-young should rest,” he said, expressing his intention to refrain from playing.
Meanwhile, Mario Sanchez, who has been rehabbing from an elbow injury, had no problems after his live pitching on the 17th and will pitch against Hanwha on the 21st as scheduled.