Is the Catcher Craze Worth the Investment?
This past winter, Stavrig saw a big move for its gunners. Max-er Yang left the NC Dinos to return to his family. It was a 4+2 year, 15.2 billion won deal. Lotte grabbed LG catcher Yoo Kang-nam for 4 years and 8 billion won. LG rushed to grab Park Dong-won, who left KIA. It was 4 years and 6.5 billion won. NC, which had lost Yang Ji Hyun, reinforced with Doosan’s Park Se-hyuk. It cost 4.6 billion won for four years.
Some people said it was a bubble, but market principles dictate that prices go up when there is competition. It was great timing for the players, who were able to take advantage of the perks and sign lucrative contracts. At the same time, there was interest in how they would transform their new teams, as they were obviously invested to win a title or finish in the top half of the table.
Yang Ji had a breakout season on offense and defense. In 89 games, he batted .322 with nine doubles, nine home runs, 44 RBIs, 35 runs scored, and an OPS of .906. He was also praised for leading the mound with excellent defense. Yang’s consistency in the upper echelons of the organization is also credited to his defense.
Yang’s absence has caused a serious power leak. He was placed on the disabled list on Aug. 8 with a left oblique injury. Doosan plummeted from the sixth day of Yang Ji’s absence. They went 3-8, the worst record in the division during that time. They had a team batting average of 2.331 (8th) and a team fielding percentage of 4.92 (9th). He is scheduled to return to action on April 22. However, his injury issues at the tender age of 36 may weigh heavily on his future.
Park Dong-won’s contributions have been worth the money. From the very beginning of the season, he was on a home run rampage, raising hopes that he could become the first catcher to hit a home run. Although his batting average has dropped significantly, he is still batting .259 with 18 home runs, 65 RBIs, 45 runs scored, and an OPS of .823.
His offense is a big part of LG’s dominance. He can basically catch, throw, and frame on defense. Most importantly, he has been a consistent, injury-free first-team catcher since the start of the season. While other catchers have been sidelined with injuries, Park Dong-won has been a stalwart.
Yoo hasn’t lived up to expectations. With his framing and other top-notch catching skills, some offense was expected. However, in 85 games, he’s batting just 2-for-5 with six doubles, six home runs, 31 RBIs, 32 runs scored, and a .649 OPS. It’s practically a career low. He led Lotte to a strong start to the season, but his momentum has slipped.
On July 28, he was sidelined with a torn left adductor muscle. After three weeks of rehabilitation, he returned on July 17. He had three hits and two RBIs in his comeback, but went hitless in the next three games. In the meantime, young catcher Shin Jung-geun has been doing well at the plate and on defense. The team is down to seventh place in the standings, so Yoo’s performance is absolutely necessary.
Park Se-hyuk has also been criticized for not living up to his billing. In 79 games, he’s batting just 2-for-1 with four doubles, four home runs, 27 RBIs, 31 runs scored, and a .646 OPS. He has been left off the roster twice. In April, he was hit in the back of the head by a backswing from SSG Landers and was sidelined for 10 days. He’s been out since April 14 with tendinitis in his left wrist.토토사이트
The performance of the four catchers for the remainder of the season will be closely watched. Park Dong-won is on track to win the regular season title and the Korean Series title. Yang will need to lead Doosan back to the top of the standings. Yoo Kang-nam needs to be the driving force behind a fifth-place finish, and Park Se-hyuk needs to be a fourth-place finisher. At the end of the season, the grades and ratings of your favorite catchers will be accurate.