If the team had been playing well, he would have gotten more attention. Kiwoom Heroes transfer Lee Ju-hyung, 22, has been on a roll throughout August.
On August 22, Lee started in the sixth spot in the lineup against the Doosan Bears at the Gocheok SkyDome in Seoul. He had two hits, including a double, and reached base three times. He raised his batting average to 0.319 from 0.316.
Lee now has seven multi-hit games in the month of August. His performance against Doosan was nothing special. It’s the timing that matters. The timing of his production is where his stardom came from.
Lee got the team’s first hit off opposing starter Raul Alcantara. The Kiwoom bats were held to one hit off of Alcantara until the fourth inning.
Lee then singled twice against Alcantara. In the bottom of the second inning, with the bases loaded, he drew a walk. In the bottom of the fifth inning, with the bases loaded and no outs, he led off with a single to right off Alcantara’s signature forkball. The next batter, Joo Sung-won, followed with a single up the middle to open the scoring for the first time in the game.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, with Kiwoom trailing 1-6, Lee Ju-hyung opened the door for a late rally with an infield single against pitcher Lee Byung-heon. He was unable to get a follow-up hit and ultimately lost the game to Doosan, but he had two hits to wake up his team from the slump.
Lee Joo-hyung was acquired in a 2-for-1 trade between the LG Twins and Kiwoom on March 29. Kiwoom acquired the prospect in exchange for the loss of “fourth starter” Choi Won-tae. Lee had been recognized for his potential during his time with LG, but he had nothing to show for it in the first team. He once said, “I apologize for not having much experience and coming in for him (Choi Won-tae).”
For Lee, the transfer was a turning point in his life. He’s already earned a spot in the outfield, which was previously reserved for Muju Gongshan. He has been getting regular playing time and has shown his hitting potential. He hit safely in four consecutive games, including his first game, and made a special story by hitting his debut home run in a three-game series against his hometown team, LG. 바카라사이트
Kiwoom, on the other hand, lost their top hitter Lee Jung-hoo to injury and lost Choi Won-tae as well. They lost 13 of their first 15 games in August (2 wins). Even though Lee has been hitting better than expected, he hasn’t been recognized as the star of the show.
Despite all of this, Lee is a player with star quality. When Alcantara, the “20-win pitcher,” is on a roll, it’s not easy to get a hit that breaks the momentum. It’s also noteworthy that he continues to create stories like this.