ML-class defense → 1st final hit at the new stadium, how can you overcome the FA nightmare so quickly…Can Hanwha be a "rich shortstop"

The Hanwha Eagles will likely be reborn as a team rich in shortstop. Shim Woo-joon (30), who joined the free agent team, Lee Do-yoon (29), who played as the main shortstop last year, and Ha Joo-seok (31), who renewed his contract with the free agent, are also competing to increase the chance of survival in the first division. It is not strange who plays shortstop. 먹튀검증

Ha Joo-seok played as a shortstop in the top of the third inning in an exhibition game against the Samsung Lions at Hanwha Life Ball Park in Daejeon on the 17th and hit the final hit in his first at-bat in the bottom of the fourth inning. 

In the bottom of the fourth inning with the score tied 1-1, Ha picked out a fork ball that was falling low on Samsung left-hander Baek Jeong-hyun's first pitch, and pulled a fastball that came high in the middle of the second pitch to lead to a hit that fell to the right field. A timely RBI single that brought the runner on second base to the home ground. Hanwha won the game with a cold snap game in the 3-1 fifth inning, and Ha recorded its official first finishing hit at the new stadium. 

Ha has made quite a strong impression in this exhibition game. In the match against Lotte in Sajik on the 13th, he saved his team from the crisis with his amazing defense. At the bottom of the eighth inning, when the score was tying 3-3, he caught Lotte Jung-hoon's hit to center field and connected it with a 6-4-3 double play to prevent a run. 

It was a tricky one-bound training pitch, but he played back to the second base in a backward position after being sensibly snatched. It was also difficult to catch, but he managed to precisely connect the toss with his smooth handling. Rookie pitcher Jung Woo-joo, who was on shaky ground, finished the inning without losing a run thanks to stellar defense by Ha Ju-seok. 

On the following day, Hanwha manager Kim Kyung-moon said, "It's good to hit a ball well and win, but I feel better when I win because I defend well. I could have lost because Ha missed it, but I blocked it. I drew the game, but I feel like I won." His defense was impressive enough. 


In the match against Munhak SSG on the 11th, Ha Joo-seok played a similar ball out. In the bottom of the ninth inning, he caught the last batter Cho Hyung-woo's one-bound training ball with a sliding catch and threw it to the second base to end the game with a force-out. He handled the training ball neatly for two consecutive games, showing that his quickness was not dead as a shortstop. 

Ha's value has fallen as shortstop defense faltered, perhaps due to his lack of sense of play due to suspension and injury over the past two years. In response, Hanwha recruited Shim Woo-joon, who is healthy and well-defended, from the FA market last winter and put him up as its new shortstop. Ha's use of staying at Hanwha after being hit by the cold wind became ambiguous, and he was also excluded from the spring camp for the first team. 

However, Ha quietly prepared for the upcoming season at the 2nd tier spring camp in Kochi, Japan, and waited for an opportunity that could not be expected. He displayed strong batting performance with a batting average of 471 (eight hits in 17 times at bat) in six games for the Futures League, and coach Kim Kyung-moon did not shy away from Ha. "He reportedly worked hard in the 2nd tier. I'm going to have him play shortstop in the remaining exhibition games," said manager Kim Kyung-moon, who called Ha to the 1st tier on the second day of the exhibition game. 


From the first game against Doosan in Cheongju on the 9th, Ha Joo-seok had his first opportunity to bat after two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning. Ha Joo-seok, who reported his return with a left-handed hit by pushing the outside fastball of Doosan right-hander Kim Yu-sung, who showed strong pitching, is batting .40 (two hits in five at-bats) with an RBI and one walk in exhibition games amid limited opportunities due to his substitute business trip. He seems to be quickly overcoming the FA nightmare last winter. 

Shim Woo-joon is the main player, but both offense and defense have shown their presence in exhibition games. Shim is the main player, but if he looks like he is now, Ha Joo-seok can be used enough as a substitute in the mid-to-late part of the game. "Players who play after the main match should do well. Baseball has many important scenes in the middle and late part of the game. If the players in the latter part are strong, the team can become stronger," coach Kim Kyung-moon said. 

Hanwha is waiting for the shortstop position with all-weather infield by not only Shim Woo-joon but also Lee Do-yoon. With even Ha Joo-seok showing signs of revival, he is poised to be reborn as a "rich shortstop." When Shim Woo-joon is physically exhausted or has a reduced sense of hitting, Ha Joo-joon can be utilized. If Ha continues to rebound in hitting, he can join the designated hitter position and start at the same time with Shim Woo-joon. Ha Joo-seok's revival is very welcome to Hanwha, given that he has a wide range of choices.

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