This is the 2nd year of the hitter conversion of the former genius. Can Ha Jae-hoon (33) explode with SSG Landers’ new gun?
Ha Jae-hoon had talent as both a pitcher and a fielder since he was an amateur at Yongma High School. His outfield defense in particular was highly praised. However, he had to start again as a pitcher rather than a fielder as he suffered an injury after advancing to the minor leagues under the Chicago Cubs.
And the time of Ha Jae-Hoon’s endurance was getting longer. After that, he went back and forth between fielder and pitcher through the Japanese Independent League, but failed to settle down. Then, in 2019, he settled down as a pitcher when he was named by the SK Wyverns. In 2019, his debut season, Ha Jae-hoon immediately became the king of saves and showed his ‘outstanding baseball DNA’ and ‘baseball genius’ without regret.
But those good times didn’t last long. Due to a shoulder injury, he was unable to show the impact of his debut season for the next two years, and eventually switched to batting last year. Ha Jae-hoon’s first season as a hitter was a mixture of possibilities and regrets.
Ha Jae-hoon’s 2022 season performance was a batting average of 0.215 / 6 home runs / 18 points / 13 RBIs. Looking at the indicators alone, it is regrettable. He didn’t have a good pitching eye, as he struck out 40 while getting 4 walks.
However, he also has a surprising point if you look closely. Of the 23 hits Ha Jae-hoon hit in the first team last year, more than half of them were long hits. He recorded 6 home runs, 6 doubles, and 1 triple, but the ratio of long hits was so high that half of them were long hits when actually caught. Thanks to that, the on-base percentage was 0.246, which was a failure level, but the slugging percentage was 0.458, which was quite high. 바카라
In the end, what Ha Jae-hoon needed was practical experience as a hitter facing a pitcher. In response, SSG club dispatched Ha Jae-hoon to Australia’s ABL Geelong Korea after the season was over. And Ha Jae-hoon showed off his slugging skills by hitting 11 home runs in 21 ABL games.
And Ha Jae-hoon showed off his strengths without regret at the camp game held in Florida, USA. On the 23rd, in his own Cheongbaekjeon, Ha Jae-hoon hit a 138km deep fastball from Lee Won-joon in his second at-bat and hit a 3-run home run that went over the left wall.
Looking at the series of processes, it is highly likely that Ha Jae-hoon’s long hitting power will be fully demonstrated this year. In the end, it is expected that the key will be how to improve low hitting accuracy and poor pioneering through last year’s experience.
Even in pros, there are many players with weaknesses. The important thing can be to erase fatal weaknesses and have overwhelming strengths. In that respect, Ha Jae-hoon is proving himself that he has enough qualities to become SSG’s new giant.
