It’s not just because it’s spring. When Noh Si-hwan (23) of the Hanwha Eagles shows off a hot hitting feeling until the end of the demonstration game, he is ready to revive the 2023 season.
Noh Si-hwan started as a 5th batter and 3rd baseman in the demonstration game against the Samsung Lions on the 27th, and made a big success with 3 hits in 5 at-bats (1 home run), 1 RBI and 3 runs. On this day, Noh Si-hwan flew a solo shot from the first at-bat in the second inning, and scored the final score in the fourth inning with a witty run.
On the 28th, in the second game against Samsung, Noh Si-hwan hit a three-run home run over the left fence against “ace” Won Tae-in from his first at-bat. It was literally an activity worthy of being called a ‘game changer’. His overall performance in exhibition games is also spectacular with a batting average of 0.471, 5 homers, 8 RBIs and 10 points.
It was not a flashy performance that came out because it was an exhibition game. Changes made during the offseason reversed Noh Si-hwan’s home run. Roh Si-hwan had a slugging percentage of 0.382 with 6 home runs last year, which was very poor. He was afraid of striking out because of the situation in the team where there were few hitters who could score RBIs, and it was because his mind and body shrank. This led to a decrease in long hits.
The solution was hitting points. Throughout his off-season, he worked to keep hitting points in front. Noh Si-hwan’s determination was to make long hits even if his strikeouts increased, and as a result, big batted balls began to revive. He hit 6 home runs in 115 games (490 at bats) last year, but hit 5 home runs in just 37 at bats in demonstration games.
It’s not just that long hits have increased. The home run that Roh Si-hwan hit against Baek Jeong-hyun of Samsung on the 27th was also a fastball that cut deep into the body. It was more like a ball than a strike, but it was connected to a home run by attacking the ball from the inside, reminiscent of Park Byeong-ho’s (KT Wiz) ‘Tyranno Swing’. The three-run home run hit by Won Tae-in on the 28th was also made by catching a changeup that came into the body corner. The strikeout, which was a concern, is also only 3 in 34 at bats.
Noh Si-hwan, who met with reporters after the game on the 27th, said, “Thanks to the hitting point in front, even though it was a ball deep in the body, it seems that the timing was right because the body reacted. Among the advice given, there is a lot of talk about hitting points. The senior is the type to make hitting points in front of him. He taught me a lot, so it was very helpful to apply it from training.” In other words, his aggressive swing led to good contact. 메이저놀이터
He also showed off a concentrated run. In the 4th inning on the 27th, Noh Si-hwan, who was the runner on second base with one out and bases loaded, took advantage of the Samsung infield team’s inability to deal with the double play and rushed home and scored a come-from-behind score. Roh Si-hwan said, “The third base coach gave me an order to stop. But it seemed like a collision had occurred at second base, and he wasn’t paying attention to me. So I thought, ‘I can live if I go home,’ and my body reacted first. ran,” he said.