Kwang-Hyun Kim hits a home run… LG's Koo Bon-hyuk "I feel great because I'm facing the best pitcher"
3-run home run against Kim Gwang-hyun in the 3rd inning… Laying the foundation for LG’s 7-5 victory
When it comes to this season's professional baseball LG Twins infield's most 'hit product', Koo Bon-hyuk (27) can definitely be the first one.
Koo Bon-hyuk, who graduated from Jangchung High School and Dongguk University and joined LG as a 2nd 6th round pick in 2019, completed his military service in the Armed Forces Athletic Corps (Sangmu) and returned to the team ahead of this season. 파워볼사이트
Before enlisting, he was a 'specialized defenseman' who showed solid defense regardless of whether he was a shortstop, second baseman, or third baseman, but now he has grown into one of the confident starting infielders.
In the visiting game against SSG Landers held at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 28th, he hit his second 3-run home run of the season against Gwang-Hyun Kim in the 3rd inning, contributing to a 7-5 victory.
Koo Bon-hyuk met with reporters after the game and said, “It feels really good to hit against the best pitcher in Korea.
“I was timing the fastball, but a forkball (indicated as a change-up on the pitch analysis table) came in, and as I was swinging out, I was hit in front,” he explained.
Koo Bon-hyuk’s performance in the three seasons before enlistment was a batting average of 0.163, 2 home runs, and 16 RBIs in 305 games.
He was a player who was so focused on defense that he only had 238 at-bats during his appearances.
However, this season, he had a batting average of 0.321 (34 hits in 106 at-bats), 2 home runs, and 27 RBIs in 47 games.
He, who had 34 hits in the previous three years, produced the same number of hits this year.
He was reborn as a true 'offensive-defense' infielder with an on-base percentage of 0.385 and a slugging percentage of 0.434.
Koo Bon-hyuk said, "First of all, my mindset changed when I went to bat.
I was able to turn the bat with more confidence because of your trust."
He added, "As things started going well from the beginning, my brothers also said, 'This is the year to become Bon-hyuk,' so I was confident when the opportunity came."
“I was able to go in,” he said.
Since the offense worked well, the defense also worked well.
Koo Bon-hyuk said, "Because I am improving in attack, I can move more actively in defense.
I can defend with more confidence.
Originally, I thought defense came first, but now that my offense is going well, I feel better and my defense is also improving."
Koo Bon-hyuk, who thoroughly prepared his defense this season with coach Kim Il-kyung, raised his voice saying that he is confident no matter where he goes in the infield.
He, whose main position was originally shortstop, said, "Second base is good because I don't have to throw too hard, and shortstop is good because I've been doing it since I was in school.
Third base is good because I can look cool and show off my shoulders if I throw hard hits."
Koo Bon-hyuk says that since he was young, his father taught him fielding practice balls and he developed his basic skills as a defender.
After joining the pros, he receives guidance from professional coaches, but his father still tries to give him advice.
Koo Bon-hyuk laughed, saying, "Now I hear it with one ear and let it out with the other, but when I was young I didn't know anything, so I listened to my father.
Now I don't even listen."
It's a joke that couldn't be told if you haven't built up deep trust with your father.
When reporters asked, ‘Wouldn’t your father be upset if he saw it?’ he grinned and said, “I’m beating my father now.”
