His best play of the first half wasn’t a big hit or a spectacular steal, it was defence.
The surprise star of the LG Twins in the first half of the 2023 season was Shin Min-jae. He joined the Doosan Bears as a developmental player in 2015, and came to LG as a second-round draft pick who didn’t seem to have much going for him other than his speed. In the last two years, he didn’t get much of a chance in the first team, and it seemed like he was getting forgotten. However, his life changed this season when coach Yeom Kyung-yup used him as a specialised substitute from the beginning of the season.
After being used as a pinch hitter and defender, he was given a chance to start after the main second baseman, Seo Gun-chang, was sent down to the second team due to poor form, and Shin Min-jae did not miss the opportunity. He used his quick feet to hit infield singles to confuse the opposition defence, and he also hit high-purity singles to score runs at key opportunities. With Kim Min-sung out with an injury, the second base spot was all his.
Shin’s first-half batting stats are 3-for-4 with 33 runs (96 at-bats), seven RBIs and 24 runs scored. He leads the team in stolen bases with 21. He has been thrown out seven times, which is good for a 75 per cent success rate.
The game between KIA and LG at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 1st. In the bottom of the third inning, Hong Chang-ki batted with the bases loaded. Shin Min-jae steals second base. Jamsil=Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com/2023.7.1/
LG sent pitcher Chae Ji-sun to the NC Dinos for outfielder Choi Seung-min in a one-for-one trade on the 18th to get a replacement for Shin Min-jae, who has become a mainstay in the outfield. This is the best example of Shin’s current status.
After wowing fans with his batting prowess, Shin Min-jae is now dazzling fans with his defence. At first, he looked a bit clumsy, but now he’s shown a steady hand in the field, even playing hustle.카지노사이트
The scene that comes to mind when I think of Shin’s defence is his third base throw against the KT Wiz in Jamsil on the 6th. In the top of the 6th inning, with the score 4-2, Shin Min-jae caught Kang Hyun-woo’s grounder and threw the ball to third base instead of first base. When a ball is hit to the second baseman at second or third base, the second baseman usually throws to first base for an out if he thinks there is a chance of a home run, but Shin Min-jae threw to third base instead of home or first base to get Park Byung-ho, who was running to third base, out.
Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres has made some great throws to third base to catch runners in scoring position, and Shin Min-jae’s defence that day reminded me of Kim.
A defence that is hard to come by without planning ahead.
The 2023 KBO League game between the Hanwha Eagles and the LG Twins took place at Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 12th. LG’s Shin Min-jae hits a single in the sixth inning. Jamsil = Heo Sang-wook 기자wook@sportschosun.com/2023.07.12/
For Shin, it wasn’t a hit or a stolen base that he remembered most from the first half, but the defence. It was a defence made possible by quick thinking.
“I saw the second baseman, Park Byung-ho, skip, and it felt like a disconnect. He looked like he was trying to be safe,” he said. “When the pitch came, I stepped forward, but I saw him pause for a second and then run, so I threw it to third base.” “Some pitches came in front of me, and some pitches came in good enough for me to throw,” he said, adding, “When I get a free pitch, I try to throw it.”
It was a result of hard work. “I had a lot of defensive training with Coach Kim Il-kyung before the game,” Shin said, “and I worked a lot on defending against hard and low pitches. I received the ball from Coach Kim on the mound. It comes faster because it’s closer, and when you get a lot of those pitches and you see them in the game, it gives you a lot of room.”
On the 8th, Lotte and LG played at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan. LG’s Shin Min-jae hits a two-run single in the sixth inning. Busan=Song Jung-heon 기자songs@sportschosun.com
The second half is also a challenge. “If I try to keep it up, it will fall off. I want to do better,” he said, adding, “I don’t want to show a different face, but I want to continue what I did well in the second half. I will prepare well to be stable in defence.”