There was an emergency in the home of the Samsung Lions. The third catcher Kim Jae-seong (27) left the team due to a side injury right before the season, and on the 15th, Kim Tae-gun (34), the team’s second catcher, was hospitalized for acute hepatitis, leaving a hole in the team’s power.
To make matters worse,메이저놀이터 in the match against Daegu Hanwha Eagles, which was played on the same day, a dizzying situation was created when main catcher Kang Min-ho (38) was hit by a pitcher’s ball. At the moment of injury, it was a dizzying moment for Samsung to the extent that not only Park Han as hitting coach, but also head coach Lee Byeong-kyu and coach Park Jin-man kicked out of the dugout.
Fortunately, Kang Min-ho brushed off the pain, advanced to first base safely, and played the game until the end. Although they avoided a dizzying situation in which the home room could have been devastated, Samsung is in a difficult situation where they have to endure with only one main catcher, Kang Min-ho, for the time being.
If you think of last winter, the crisis of Samsung’s home is quite unfamiliar. Last year, as the main 3 catcher system of Kang Min-ho, Kim Tae-gun, and Kim Jae-seong settled down, Samsung had no worries about the home. Furthermore, Samsung even declared an open trade for the catcher, and even tried to bring in a player in the position needed for the team using abundant home-room resources.
As Samsung intended, the trade didn’t come through until the season started, but Samsung was rather relaxed. I took my time, judging that there would be a team with variables such as spring camp, exhibition game, and catcher injury at the beginning of the season. The card Samsung wanted was also high. Even if the trade did not come through, Samsung had nothing to regret in that it continued the 3 catcher system that showed good performance last year.
However, I did not know that I would directly face the injury variable. He never imagined that not one, but two would break away at once. Unexpected catchers’ line injuries made Samsung’s home room loose, and the mound’s sluggishness and other fielders’ line injuries overlapped, and they are having an ordeal in April.
For the time being, Samsung has to keep Kang Min-ho alone at home. Kim Min-soo (32), who has been active as a backup catcher for several years, and Lee Byung-hun (24), who is being raised as the next-generation main catcher by the club, will support them. It returned to the situation before 2021 when Kim Tae-gun and Kim Jae-seong were not present.
It is encouraging that Kang Min-ho’s hitting feel is good. Kang Min-ho appeared in 12 games and has a batting average of 0.350 (14 hits in 40 at-bats), 3 homers, 8 RBIs, OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 1.072, and win contribution to substitute players (WAR) 0.75 (based on stats), showing good appearance. However, as it is a position that consumes a lot of his stamina, it is necessary to arrange the stamina of the 38-year-old catcher.
Kim Jae-seong looks difficult to play until May, and Samsung has no choice but to wait for Kim Tae-gun, who was hospitalized for hepatitis, to return quickly. However, even this will take several weeks to recover, so it seems that the home will be stabilized only in May. A crisis came to Samsung, which was the kingdom of catchers.