He's the greatest talent of all time…
There is a reason why players who are absent from the KBO's final list of Team Korea that will participate in the Seoul Series, which was recently announced. Basically, young players who participated in the Hangzhou Asian Games and the Asian Professional Baseball Championship last year are the main players. However, the injured and the players who were not in perfect condition were excluded.
A case in point is Kim Do-young 21, Kia Tigers. Kim was diagnosed with a ruptured collateral ligament and scapular fracture inside the left midgastric joint for four months while attempting a headfirst slide after hitting in the Asian Baseball Championship finals extension against Japan on Nov. 19 last year.
He is currently participating in exhibition games, but it is hard to say that he is 100 percent in good condition. KBO reportedly contacted teams while making team Korea lists to closely monitor players' physical conditions. Kim once again felt regret that he failed to join the national team following last year's Asian Games.
However, there is no reason for Kim to be frustrated. In fact, it is a miracle just to be able to play in exhibition games normally. He was pessimistic about his participation in the opening game against the Kiwoom Heroes on Sunday, as he was injured and diagnosed with a four-month illness. He said he could take a four-month break and rehabilitate to play in the game.
Kim unexpectedly started tee batting in the last round of the Canberra spring camp, and woke up his sense of play by banking on his big defense at a practice game in Okinawa. With the opening of the exhibition game on Thursday, he started playing as the third and third baseman normally.
Manager Lee Bum-ho is well aware of Kim's future. The fact that he wants to deploy Kim as a built-in third hitter means that he believes in Kim's slugging, clutch ability and power. He has no intention of developing Kim into a "tick-ticker" or a contact heater. Full-time performance is highly anticipated. SBS Sports commentator Lee Soon-cheol also predicted that "30-30 home runs and 30 steals" are possible.
He played in all six exhibition games. He played three times at bat, posting a batting average of 0.200, an RBI and a run scored. He is restraining himself from stealing bases. He practiced not a lot during the spring camp. Hence, the exhibition game could effectively feel like a spring camp practice game. 안전놀이터
However, holding the bat late does not necessarily have scientific evidence to prevent poor performance. Park Chan-ho also had less spring camp training last year due to wrist pain, but had a career-high season. Kim's batting pace will gradually increase.
In addition, Kim missed a golden opportunity to hold a Major League showcase in front of officials from the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. However, age and time are the key players. There are Premier 12 this fall, the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. This time, it is more important to pay attention only to improving your physical condition and spend the first full-time season steadily. Kim is already performing a miracle.
