After reaching the Korean Series for the seventh consecutive year, the Doosan Bears had their worst experience last year, slipping to ninth place and appointing a manager with no managerial experience, Lee Seung-yeop, 47. Now that the season has turned a corner, Lee’s Doosan team has done more than enough to earn a passing grade.
온라인카지노The first half of the season ended with the rain cancellation of the away match against SSG Landers at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 13th. With 42 wins, 36 losses and one draw, they are in third place, 6.5 games behind leaders LG Twins.
During the nine-game winning streak, a steady starting pitching staff and an improved batting line-up shone through, especially the role of veteran batsmen who led the team in their prime.
Doosan’s batting revival with 10 batters hitting at least .300 in July
During the nine-game winning streak, Doosan’s batting harmony was fantastic. The pitching staff has been impressive. Their ERA was just 1.76. It was encouraging to see that all five pitchers in the starting rotation performed as a unit. The defence also stepped up to the plate. There were no errors.
The team was second in batting average (.299) and home runs (8), tied for first in runs scored (51), first in slugging percentage (.390), second in on-base percentage (.430), and first in OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) (.820). He was also second in stolen bases with 10 and had the highest strikeout rate at 12.6 per cent.
In addition to Yang (0.481 batting average in July), Jang Seung-hyun (0.368), Jeong Soo-bin (0.361), Kim Jae-ho (0.350), Jose Rojas (0.333), Kang Seung-ho (0.316), Lee Yoo-chan, and Heo Kyung-min (0.308), who hadn’t played much in the past, were all hitting with fearsome power. Even Park Jun-young (0.417), who was brought in as a free agent compensation for Park Se-hyuk (NC Dinos), fulfilled his potential and made Lee smile.
The rebound of the veterans was especially welcome. Jung Soo-bin (batting average of 0.259) and Kim Jae-ho (0.215), who struggled last year and were unable to keep their heads above water amidst the team’s slump, have stepped up to the plate in a big way, easing Lee’s shoulders. Jung Soo-bin took advantage of his lake legs and quick feet (18 stolen bases), while Kim Jae-ho solved the shortstop woes. Kim Jae-ho raised his batting average to 0.301 for the season, while Jung Soo-bin is also on the rise at 0.277.
With their rebound, the “Doosan baseball” that Lee Seung-yeop has talked about so many times has come back to life, and the team has regained the team colours that bring results in any situation.
Kim Jae-hwan. /Photo=Dusan Bears
The return of the veteran, now Kim Jae-hwan
When asked to pick out his favourite players from the first half of the season, coach Lee Seung-yeop singled out Kim Myung-shin, who was busy in the bullpen, while at the plate, he said, “All the veterans struggled,” adding, “Yang Ji-joo came back and did a good job, and Kim Jae-ho did a very good job after going to the second team again early on. Heo Kyung-min also did his best despite not being fully fit.”
He then mentioned Kim Jae-hwan’s name. Kim Jae-hwan is a player that Lee Seung-yeop saw as a key player upon his arrival. As a left-handed slugger like himself, he said that Doosan’s batting average has been declining in recent years, including last year under great pressure.
But this season, Kim hasn’t been able to do any of those things, batting .240 with seven home runs, 29 RBIs and an OPS of .726. Despite calling the largest stadium in the country home, Jae-hwan was crowned the ‘Jamsil Home Run King’ in 2018 with 44 home runs, but he has been on a steady decline and is unlikely to hit 20 home runs this season. During the nine-game winning streak, many batters were on a roll, but Kim’s batting average in July was just .152.
Lee said, “It’s hard for those of us who are watching him when he’s not performing as well as we thought he would, but how hard it must be for him. “As I’ve always said, if Kim Jae-hwan plays well, our batting line-up will be more complete. Anyway, if it (the slump) goes to the end of the season, we’ll think about it, but for now, I think Kim Jae-hwan needs to find his form. He’s not as good as he wants to be right now, but I know he’s working really hard. I’m very grateful that the veterans are doing such a good job.”
Yang leads the team in both categories with 13 home runs and 44 RBIs, but he has had his ups and downs with the struggles of Kim Jae-hwan and Jose Rojas. Rojas has also been on an upswing of late, so if Jae-hwan can stay healthy, the Doosan batting line-up could be even more explosive in the second half.