“They told me not to do that head-first sliding…”
Kia manager Kim Jong-kook bemoaned before the team’s game against Lotte at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on Wednesday. He announced the injury of Park Chan-ho, 28, who has become the team’s leadoff hitter. Park sprinted to first base after hitting an infield grounder in the fifth inning against Samsung Electronics in Daegu on Wednesday. He made a last-second head-first slide, injuring the fourth finger on his left hand in the process.
I traveled to Gwangju and was examined at a designated hospital, where it was determined that I had damaged ligaments. Luckily, it’s a gloved hand, so it didn’t affect my throwing, and I have no problem running. I just need to cover it with a glove and not overdo it. However, hitting is a problem. I can”t hit normally. For the time being, he will only play as a pinch runner and center fielder. It will be about three weeks before he can hit.
It could be less, but it could also be more, as the horse is sensitive to the three-week period. There is no guarantee when he will be able to hit normally. And even if he does, three weeks is a lot of time to lose. Your hitting flow is about to boil over. This is a devastating injury.
It’s frustrating for the team to lose their starting shortstop and leadoff hitter at the same time, but it’s equally frustrating for Chan Ho Park. In 115 games this season, Chan Ho Park was hitting .302 with three home runs, 48 RBIs, 64 runs scored, and 29 stolen bases. It’s not unreasonable to say that he’s now a triple threat offensively, defensively, and energetically.
Park Chan-ho had two goals for the season. He wanted to win his first Golden Glove as a shortstop. In the past, he was often not even considered for the award, but this year was different. His defense and baserunning, plus his offense, made him a serious contender. The general consensus was that it would be a two-horse race with LG’s Oh Ji-Hwan. His performance for the rest of the season would decide the award, and if he can’t hit for three weeks, he’ll be at a disadvantage.
He would also be at risk of losing his third stolen base title after winning in 2019 and 2022. Park is second in the league with 29 stolen bases. League leader Shin Min-jae (LG) is three ahead with 32. However, there are more games left for KIA than LG, and Park has the ability to steal more than two bases in a game at any given time. With a higher batting average and slugging percentage, he has more chances to get on base. 먹튀검증
However, it also increased his chances of being penalized. Typically, a big hitter is allowed one stolen base per day. Even that can be a limitation depending on the situation. This is because they might be signaled to wait on the bench instead of running. They’ll also have fewer opportunities than if they were starting.
It’s a shame that Park’s determination to not only win the title, but also to see his limits and growth, has been dashed. Park’s hitting was at its peak in July and August.