'KIA→Hanwha' trade rumors reappear... "Baseball is fun" with a lamb's ear helmet

The trade bug is back in Hanwha. Outfielder Lee Jin-young (26), who was traded from KIA to Hanwha during last season, is having an uncharacteristic bat. 

In the KIA game against Daejeon on April 23, Lee hit a long ball that rang a bell for his hometown team. With the bases loaded in the first inning, Lee lined a two-pitch slider from KIA starter Sean Anderson over the top of the center field fence for a huge double. It was a big hit that scored Jung Eun-won from first base and set the stage for a six-run big inning. Hanwha won the game 9-5. 

Lee, who started the season in the second team, is batting 2-for-7 (13-for-48) with one home run, five RBIs, six walks, 14 strikeouts, a .352 on-base percentage, a .417 slugging percentage and a .769 OPS in 19 games since his call-up to the first team on March 28. Against SSG in Munhak on the 12th and 13th, he raised his game with two consecutive two-hit multi-hit games, and against SSG on the 14th, he came in as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning and hit a two-run double to tie the game. Then, against Jamsil LG on the 21st, he continued his impressive batting with a solo shot that prevented the team from losing the game.

Lee said, "I don't know if I have a good feeling, but my mindset has changed. I'm going into every at-bat with the mindset of having fun and enjoying myself, and it's paying off." "I started out in the second team, but I prepared with the same mindset, continuing the weight routine I've been doing since spring training. I didn't change my form or anything when I came to the first team. I just have the mindset to enjoy it." 

Lee, a right-handed outfielder who was drafted by KIA with the 58th overall pick in the second round in 2016 out of Sunlin Internet High School, was touted as a promising prospect but failed to blossom in the Tiger Army. He didn't have much of a chance in the outfield-rich KIA, and on April 23 last year, he moved to Hanwha via trade. 

In the land of opportunity, Lee emerged as a trade bust. In May of last year, Lee showed off his power with six home runs in 24 games, but his performance continued to decline in June and he was sent down to the second team to finish the season. His final numbers last year were 70 games (44-for-220) with eight home runs, 31 RBIs, and a .627 OPS. He drew 17 walks while striking out 90 times, revealing a weakness in his lineup. 

This year, however, he improved on last year's weakness. While he struck out 14 times, he also drew six walks, increasing his on-base percentage (.254 to .342) by nearly a full percentage point. However, his strikeout rate (37.5% to 25.9%) dropped by more than 10%. His contact rate didn't change much (65.8% to 67.6%), but his contact rate after two strikes improved noticeably from 58.9% to 72.0%.

"Originally, I had a good strikeout rate in the second team. I'm confident in seeing the ball, but last year I was in a hurry to get a grade. I just jumped in with the idea of hitting first, but this year, I'm focusing on what I need to do according to the situation at the plate," he said. "Even after two strikes, I don't think about the pitch count, I have the same mindset, so I don't get rushed and don't bat at bad pitches." 

Lee's performance has been highlighted by the fact that he started wearing a pith helmet last week. The helmet is mostly worn by amateur players. In the pros, most of them wear helmets with one ear flap down, but there have been a few players who have worn them. Jim Aduchi, a foreign hitter who played for Lotte in 2015 and 2016, wore a bi-face helmet for protection due to his experience with head shots in the United States. Legendary second baseman Jung Geun-woo also briefly wore a poppy helmet for a change of pace during his time with Hanwha in 2015. 

Lee Jin-young, who has been wearing a rare lamb's ear helmet since the Daejeon Lotte game on the 17th, said, "It's not a change of pace. 메이저사이트 My old helmet was too big and I had to hold it with my hands (when running the bases). With the lamb's ear helmet, the size is just right and it's comfortable to run. It doesn't affect my batting at all," he laughed. 

Lee, who hit his first home run and game-winning hit of the season with the helmet, said, "I can see all three outfield positions. I'm ready to play any position because it's important to get on the field," he said, adding, "I'm not going to rush the rest of the games, but I'm going to enjoy each game and have fun." He vowed to continue his steady performance.