After going through the All-Star Game, the ripple effect of several issues that surfaced at the end of the first half will go on to the second half. Professional baseball in July is hot.
Choi Hyeong-woo, the KIA Tigers’ leading hitter, mentioned the decision regarding three-pit defensive obstruction that occurred in the top of the third inning in the last game of the first half (against Gwangju Samsung Lions on the 13th) at the fan signing event for the All-Star Game held at Sajik Stadium in Busan on the 15th. Choi Hyung-woo raised his voice about the inconsistent judgment. He conveyed the message that other games and other teams in the second half could suffer damage in similar situations.
The situation at the time was this. At the beginning of the 3rd inning, KIA starting pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong induced Jose Pirella to ground an infield ball in the situation with 2 out and 1 base. The ball he threw while avoiding Pirella, who ran inside the foul line, escaped the first baseman and became a bad throw. In response, KIA coach Kim Jong-guk applied for a video review, but defensive interference was not recognized. Coach Kim appealed that on the 16th of last month, against the NC Dinos, Shin Beom-soo, who was a team hitter, had a history of being a defensive hindrance in a similar situation. In the end, he even got kicked out.
Choi Hyung-woo seems to have appealed to the need to improve this issue for a fairer competition, even though it is a place of festival.
The decision related to three feet was a hot potato throughout the first half. On the 23rd of last month, in the bottom of the 7th inning of the match between Doosan Bears and Kiwoom Heroes, Kiwoom hitter Lim Ji-yeol moved inside the foul-fair line to step on first base with his right foot. got it Kiwoom coach Hong Won-ki protested and was ejected.
Competition for rankings in the second half is fiercer. This season is the best ever. Controversy over decisions that are directly related to the flow and outcome of the game 안전놀이터should not come out. It is necessary for the referees to discuss consistency in judgments related to three feet ahead of the second half.
There are other issues as well. First of all, the call-up of NC Dinos Park Gun-woo is of interest. He is the league’s representative hitter who won a super-large free agent (FA) contract, but a problem with his work ethic has recently emerged. On the 3rd, when the team performance was greatly reduced, doubts grew as he was excluded from the first team entry even though he was not injured. Afterwards, NC coach Kang In-kwon conveyed the background of the decision that the player had acted out of the original team.
Park Kun-woo already had a meeting with director Kang In-kwon on the 7th. At the end of the first inning of the All-Star game held on the 15th, he hit as the 7th hitter for the Dream All-Star, and then bowed his head at 90 degrees and handed over a protector to manager Kang In-kwon, who served as the 1st base run coach. It seems that the airflow of conflict has subsided.
NC will play the first three games in the second half in Daejeon (against the Hanwha Eagles). The three-game series next week is against the KIA Tigers at home (Changwon). Attention is focusing on when Park Gun-woo will return to the first team.
Trade is also of interest. On the 5th, Samsung and KIA announced a pretty big deal to exchange Ryu Ji-hyuk and Kim Tae-gun. KIA rode a rapid rise.
On the 18th, the break period, the LG Twins gave away pitcher Ji-sun Chae to NC and received outfielder Seung-min Choi. Ahead of the trade deadline, attention is focused on whether a big deal that will shake the game of ranking competition will be concluded.