KBO League table setter change... Kang Baek-ho, Rojas, Puig-Cardines experiment 'Strong hitters 1 and 2'

KBO League table setter change... Kang Baek-ho, Rojas, Puig-Cardines experiment 'Strong hitters 1 and 2'

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A wind of change is blowing in the table setter (No. 1 and No. 2 batting order), which means setting the table in the baseball world. Traditionally, it has been an area of players with high on-base percentage, ball work, and fast feet, but recently, new attempts to deploy powerful sluggers have been spreading in the KBO League.바카라

This phenomenon stems from a strategy to maximize offense by placing strong batters in the team in the top batting order with the most chances to bat. It is in the same vein that the Los Angeles Dodgers, the winner of last season's World Series, used Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts, former MVPs, as table setters.

In Korea, KT Wiz coach Lee Kang-chul played a pioneering role. He succeeded by using Mel Rojas Jr., former MVP, as No. 1 player last season, and went one step further this season and made a bold decision to place native center hitter Kang Baek-ho as the top hitter and Rojas as No. 2.

This unconventional lineup showed immediate effect in an exhibition game against Kiwoom on the 10th. When Kang Baek-ho opened the game with a double in the middle of the game, Rojas responded with a superior two-run shot. In the second inning, the two players fully performed the role of catalyst for the attack with walks and hits.

The Kiwoom Heroes, which needed to strengthen their offensive power, also started to form a bold table setter. Coach Hong Won-ki changed the composition of foreign players to one pitcher and two batters this season, and placed Yasiel Puig from the Major League and Ruben Cardinez from former Samsung as No. 1 and No. 2.

Although Puig failed to record a hit against KT on Mar. 10, he proved the expected effect by walking twice thanks to his teammates' careful throws, wary of his power. No. 2 Cardinals also did his part with a hit and an RBI.

Of course, most teams are still adhering to the traditional approach. Some came up with a compromise. Doosan Bears manager Lee Seung-yeop attempted to deploy Kim Jae-hwan, a slugger, as No. 2 hitter, to improve his batting average of 0.696, which was the lowest in the league last season. "Data analysis showed that the No. 2 hitter had many chances to score, and we needed a player who can solve the problem," a Doosan official said.

The NC Dinos are experimenting with moving the experienced Son Ah-seop from No. 3 to No. 1. With age, his batting average and on-base percentage have decreased somewhat, but Son, who still has excellent contact skills, has been impressive with six hits in 10 at-bats in four exhibition games.