"I decided not to use it" In Roberts's mind, Kim Hye-sung is not a priority...Is it the dignity of the Dodgers who can't even play the '400 hitter'
"I decided not to use it" In Roberts's mind, Kim Hye-sung is not a priority...Is it the dignity of the Dodgers who can't even play the '400 hitter'
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LA Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked several questions about Kim Hye-sung in a meeting with local reporters ahead of the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri on the 8th (Korea Standard Time).안전놀이터
Kim was listed in the starting lineup for the first time in four games while starting at center field No. 9. Tommy Edman started at second base.
"Due to Edman's ankle condition, we sent him to second base and Kim Hye-sung to center field," Roberts said in an interview with local media ahead of Tuesday's game. "If you play in the outfield, you have to move a lot and cover a wide range. It could be too much, so we sent Edman to second base and Kim to center field to protect him."
"After talking with Edman, he said he feels comfortable playing in the infield now. One day, I will go back to the outfield and we will have more conversations about that point," he said.
Kim Hye-sung was excluded from the starting lineup in the previous three games. He started at second base on No. 9 in a home game against the New York Mets on the 4th, but complained of pain when he was hit by his left ankle by a foul ball in the second inning. Since then, he has not played the entire game. He was substituted by a pinch hitter in the seventh inning to wrap up the game.
The following day, Kim was excluded from the starting lineup to protect her ankle. As Tommy Edman and Kim's ankle conditions are in doubt, the Dodgers called out Esteury Lewis and James Outman as stand-by players in Triple-A ahead of Thursday's game. However, Kim and Edman also said that they do not seem to have any health problems. This means that Kim's ankle has also improved.
As the opponent team's starting pitcher was left-hander David Peterson on Thursday, it was understandable that Kim was excluded due to Roberts' tendency to use Platoon. He also failed to play in the latter half of the game.
However, Kim was not included in the starting lineup in the game against the St. Louis Cardinals last Wednesday. The starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals was right-hander Sonny Gray. He also failed to play in games. It was the first time since the Major League call-up on April 4 that Kim did not play in three consecutive games.
Asked by local reporters why Kim Hye-sung was absent for the entire three days, Roberts said, "The first game was because of an ankle problem. "I wanted to give him some more time to rest. The second game was because of the left-handed starter." As for the reason for the third game's rest, Kim said, "I just let him rest because I decided not to use it." Kim seems to be on the back burner between Roberts and the Dodgers.
Nevertheless, Kim maintained the sense of hitting performance. Although he played in four games, he showed two hits and one stolen base from four times at bat on the day. He faced off Eric Peddy, who was the MVP of the 2023 KBO League and won the Triple Crown, Golden Glove, and Choi Dong-won Award. Peddy had maintained his record by winning three games and losing five with an ERA of 3.85 in 12 games before the game on the day.
Kim had her first at bat in the third inning with no runners on and one out, but only hit a fly ball to the center field. With one ball and one strike, she hit a 94.6 mile sinker to her body, but the ball hit.
In the fifth inning, Kim had a full count match against Pedi, causing distress. At the full count, Kim pushed the cutter through the seventh pitch to garner a hit to the middle left that penetrated the gap between three and a half lengths. Later, she even stole second base when Ohtani was at bat. She successfully stole sixth base, and maintained a 100 percent chance of stealing. However, Ohtani failed to score as a fly ball to center field, Mookie Betts grounded out to first base, and Freddie Freeman grounded out to first base.
Kim took the lead as a batter at the top of the seventh inning. While playing against left-hander Steven Matz, Roberts pushed Kim without putting forward a substitute. At the two-ball, two-strike match against Matz, Kim hit a 95.6-mile sinker, and produced a large bound ball that slightly exceeded the pitcher's height. No one caught the infielder, and as she led to an infield hit, Kim completed a multi-hit.
Kim has posted a batting average of 411 (23 hits in 56 at-bats) in 25 games with two homers, seven RBIs, 13 runs scored, and six steals, OPS of .995. Kim has demonstrated her skills even in limited opportunities for about a month since the call-up of the big league.
However, the reason why Kim does not receive the right opportunity despite hitting hard in the 400s is that she belongs to the Dodgers. The Dodgers is full of superstars. When Kim signed a contract with the Dodgers, there were many concerns that there would be a chance.
After all, Kim Hye-sung's reality is backup. The main players are Tommy Edman, Mookie Betts and Andy Pazs where Kim can enter. Pazs was in a similar position to compete with Kim for the entry, but has now grown into an outfield player.
It has now been confirmed that Kim Hye-sung is not a priority. It has become important for Kim Hye-sung not to be frustrated by the current reality and to consistently show her presence during occasional business trips.