‘Irreplaceable’ Lee Jeong-hoo, season out crisis → ML advances + Ryu Joong-il-ho what to do
Lee Jung-hoo (25) of Kiwoom Heroes is on the operating table. It is a big bad news for Kiwoom, which continues to fight for the top 5 in the second half, as well as the baseball team ahead of the Hangzhou Asian Games.
On the 24th, Kiwoom said, “As a result of detailed examinations such as MRI and X-rays at CM Hospital and Sejong Sports Orthopedic Surgery, I was diagnosed with damage to the extensor belt of my left ankle.”
Extensor belt damage is a damage to the membrane surrounding the ankle tendon, and suturing surgery is required for treatment.
First of all, Lee Jung-hoo plans to set a surgery date after receiving an additional checkup tomorrow (25th).
Kiwoom explained, “The rehabilitation period after surgery takes about three months, and it may change depending on the speed of recovery.”
Lee Jung-hoo started as the center fielder for the third batter in an away game against the Lotte Giants held at Sajik Baseball Stadium on the 22nd, and was replaced due to left ankle pain during the defensive process at the end of the 8th inning.
There was no case where Lee Jung-hoo voluntarily sent a replacement signal to dugout even if there was an inconvenience, but this day was different. So I was worried about serious injuries.
Kiwoom coach Hong Won-ki also expressed concern, saying, “I am concerned because he is a player who does not express himself.”
A medical examination revealed that the injury required surgery. The possibility of an out-of-season crisis has increased.
Lee Jung-hoo dominated the league last year with a batting average of 0.349, 23 homers, 113 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.996, and became MVP of the regular season. In particular, with the consent of the club, it became possible to challenge to advance to the major leagues after the end of this season, so expectations for his performance were higher than ever.먹튀검증
However, from the start of the 2023 season until April, he fell into a severe batting slump with a batting average of 0.218 (19 hits in 87 at-bats) and only 3 home runs. Kiwoom also had a difficult time, falling to the bottom of the ranks.
Fortunately, Lee Jung-hoo found himself little by little. He raised his season batting average to 0.266 in May, and hit 300 exactly in June. Finishing the first half with a batting average of 0.312, 6 homers, 44 RBIs, 6 stolen bases, and an OPS of 0.848, he returned to his true form.
His performance continued in the second half. He went 2 at bats, 1 hit and 2 walks against Lotte on the 21st, the first game of the second half, and the next day, 3 hits, 1 RBI and 1 walk in 3 at bats.
However, in the midst of this climax, he faced bad news for injuries.
This injury feels more painful because it was Lee Jung-hoo, who was preparing to enter the big league through the major league posting system after the end of the season.
His raising is also lightning fast. He is in 8th place in the league with 40 wins, 2 draws and 47 losses in the season. In the second half, we had to fight for the round of 5, but Lee Jung-hoo was left out. As soon as foreign hitter Dawson joined the team, he showed good performance, but without Lee Jung-hoo, the team’s structure and firepower are inevitably poor.
Here, Korean baseball is also in crisis. The national baseball team, led by coach Joong-il Ryu, was aiming for a gold medal in the Asian Games. Lee Jung-hoo is a key member of the national team.
It was already being discussed as a candidate for captain as he wore his 6th Taegeuk mark. He played an active role in the previous five international competitions with a career batting average of 0.333 (35 hits in 105 at-bats), and the recent WBC also showed a good batting average with a batting average of 0.429 and 5 RBIs.
This jeonghu is missing. Dark clouds also hung over Ryu Joong-il.