On June 4, the Hanwha Eagles manager Kim Kyung-moon brought a different lineup to his first game since taking over in early June.
One of the most notable changes was the inclusion of Ahn Chi-hong at second base. Ahn was the KBO’s most dominant second baseman, winning the Golden Glove for second base three times (2011, 2017, and 2018).
He signed a 4+2-year, $7.2 billion contract with Hanwha before this season, but hasn’t played second base since, instead playing first base or designated hitter.
The team decided that his defense had declined from his prime, and the team also wanted to make a generational change with Hwang Young-mook and Moon Hyun-bin.
When Kim arrived, Ahn Chi-hong first asked him, “Should I prepare as a second baseman?” to which Kim said, “Of course. It had been 236 days since Ahn’s last start at second base in a Lotte uniform, on Oct. 12 against Gwangju KIA. Ahn played second base defense without any difficulty.
Since then, he’s been bouncing back and forth between first base and the designated hitter, but he’s been playing second base for the last eight games in a row and is looking like his old self again. Most importantly, he’s batting 4-for-3 in those eight games at second base (13-for-30).
With Ahn Chi-hong settling in at second base, the lineup has stabilized.
Kim has been experimenting with young players since his arrival, and the starting lineup of Jonathan Peraza (designated hitter), Kim In-hwan (left fielder), Kim Tae-yeon (right fielder), Noh Si-hwan (third baseman), Chae Eun-sung (first baseman), Ahn Chi-hong (second baseman), Ha Ju-seok (shortstop), Choi Jae-hoon (catcher), and Jang Jin-hyeok (center fielder) is starting to look more and more like a fixed lineup.
There have been small tweaks along the way, 파워볼게임 such as swapping out catchers Lee Jae-won and Choi Jae-hoon to manage his fitness, but it seems to have settled into a solid “Kim Kyung-moon-pyo” starting lineup. Hanwha went on a seven-game winning streak with this lineup. The team’s batting average in the second half of the season is 2.949, second in the league behind KIA (0.301).
Kim is pleased with the results. “He came in June and played for about two months, and (Hwang) Young-mook did a great job as a second baseman. But it’s the current lineup that opponents can’t take lightly and feel their strength the most,” Kim said. “Depending on his condition, Young-mook will be used at some point, but (Ahn) Chi-hong-i is also batting well at second base. I’m feeling stronger in the batting lineup rather than being the designated hitter,” he said.
Kim was also pleased with the performance of Kim In-hwan in left field.
In-hwan Kim has played left field before, but it wasn’t until Kim’s arrival that he really started practicing his defense in left field.
“We didn’t have a lot of practice time in left field,” Kim said. “The main players have time to make up for their mistakes on offense or defense. (Kim) In-hwan has a good offense. We’re giving him a lot of chances, so he’s getting energy on the spot. So far, he’s adjusting better than we expected.”
Kim In-hwan has also been hitting well in his last 10 games, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs.
Meanwhile, Hanwha ended a seven-game winning streak with a loss to KIA in Daejeon on March 3. Kim is wary of the “winning streak hangover” and is ready for what’s next. “When you go on a winning streak, everyone gets into the mood,” Kim said. “It’s a good feeling, but there’s also pressure. Now, we’re going to prepare well so that we don’t lose back-to-back games.”
Hanwha will begin a three-game midweek series against the Samsung Lions at Samsung Lions Park in Daejeon on June 6.
