It is worth paying attention to the ‘foot’ of ‘Speed Racer’ Bae Ji-hwan (24, Pittsburgh Pirates).
Bae Ji-hwan succeeded in stealing 14 bases until the 9th (Korean time). Esteuri Lewis (Oakland Athletics, 17) and Ronald Acuna Jr. (Atlanta Braves, 15) are third in the Major League (MLB) in stolen bases. It is two ahead of Jorge Mateo (Baltimore Orioles, 12), last year’s American League (AL) base stealer. It is not uncommon for a non-starter to be listed in the top 5 in stolen bases. Bae Ji-hwan has a high stealing success rate (87.5%).
This is not an accidental result스포츠토토. According to Baseball Savant, an MLB statistics site, Bae Ji-hwan’s sprint speed this season is 29.4 feet (8.96 m) per second, which is in the top 3%. Mike Trout (LA Angels), Julio Rodriguez (Seattle Marinos), and other prominent big league ‘junjok’ stand shoulder to shoulder. His arrival time from home plate to first base was 4.08 seconds, 3rd overall in the league behind Akil Badu (Detroit Tigers, 4.06 seconds) and Corbin Carroll (Arizona Diamondbacks, 4.06 seconds). The number of bolts that ran more than 30 feet (9.14 m) per second was also 10, ranking ninth in the league. It is at the top of the league in all metrics related to base running.
It was a cotyledon that had the potential to become. Bae Ji-hwan achieved 30 stolen bases in the season at the 2017 National High School Championship while he was at Gyeongbuk High School. Recognized for his worth, he crossed the Pacific in March 2018 by signing with Pittsburgh. His down payment is 1.25 million dollars (1.65 billion won). Even in the minor leagues, base running was at a high level. He had 31 steals in Double-A in 2019 and 30 in Triple-A last year. In 2022, he was ranked 11th overall in the Pittsburgh Prospect Rankings by MLB.com, and received 70 in the running division on the ’20-80 Scale’, which evaluates the talent of a prospect with the highest of 80 and the lowest of 20 (average of 50). Compared to hitting (55), power (30), and defense (50), the evaluation of running base was overwhelmingly good.
MBC Sports Plus commentator Song Jae-woo, an MLB expert, said, “There are very few players who get a perfect score (80) in any category. One or two, or at most three or four.” “70 is almost the top,” he said. Hwan said that since he was in the minor leagues, speed has been his best ‘tool (ability)’.”
As the importance of stealing was emphasized, the value of Bae Ji-hwan also jumped. Starting this season, MLB limited the number of check balls and increased the base size (15-inch square → 18-inch square). The use of stolen bases has increased, and Bae Ji-hwan has also established himself as Pittsburgh’s ‘key man’. 1st on the team in stolen bases (2nd, Kibrian Hayes and 3 others, 5). Currently, there is no player faster than Bae Ji-hwan among the Pittsburgh big leaguers.
Although his batting average is low in the early 20s, this is the biggest reason why MLB uses it moderately. He is worth using as a major runner. Song Jae-woo, member of the commissioner, said, “You have to go out a lot. It is important to get on base a lot,” he said. As long as it doesn’t hit and doesn’t, I think I’ll continue to give it a chance.”