LA Dodgers' Kim Hye-sung faced the risk of going to the minor leagues from the early stages of Major League Baseball spring training exhibition games. Would the situation have been different if Kim Hye-sung had signed with another team instead of the depth-heavy Dodgers?
Kim Hye-sung successfully signed a guaranteed three-year, $12.5 million contract with the Dodgers at the beginning of January through posting, with a maximum of three plus two years for $22 million. After acquiring Kim Hye-sung, the Dodgers traded last year's starting second baseman Gavin Lux to the Cincinnati Reds. American media predicted Kim Hye-sung as the starting second baseman for the Dodgers.
Kim Hye-sung received offers from several teams, including the Seattle Mariners and the LA Angels, in addition to the Dodgers. His choice was the Dodgers. After signing with the Dodgers, Kim Hye-sung said, "The first team to contact me during the posting period was the Dodgers. I am grateful for that. Just because I didn't go to the Dodgers doesn't mean I wouldn't compete. I believe you have to compete regardless of the team you choose. After much consideration, I decided to go with the Dodgers and want to secure my place by competing well. I have no regrets."
During spring training, Kim Hye-sung has been utilized as a utility player, playing not only second base but also shortstop and center field. The Dodgers' infield has many utility players. Kim Hye-sung is competing with Tommy Edman, Chris Taylor, Miguel Rojas, and Kiké Hernández.
However, while Kim Hye-sung is recognized for his defense and base running, he is not trusted with his batting. American media expect that "Kim Hye-sung will start the season in the minor leagues."
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, "If there is one question mark for Kim Hye-sung, it is batting. The competition here is different from Korea. He is adjusting his batting. We are trying to help him adapt more easily and maintain that by working on swing changes. He has bet on competing here. He is currently competing to secure his spot."
As spring training began, the Dodgers have completely altered Kim Hye-sung's batting stance. While adjusting his batting stance to adapt to Major League pitchers, Kim Hye-sung's batting average has dropped below .100 in exhibition games. By the 28th, Kim Hye-sung recorded 1 hit in 12 at-bats during exhibition games, with a batting average of .083. American media have been mentioning Kim Hye-sung's minor league move daily.
If Kim Hye-sung had signed with the Seattle Mariners or the Angels instead of the Dodgers, would it have been easier to secure a starting position? Would the risk of going to the minor leagues have been less? The Mariners needed second-base resources, and the Angels had a gap in the infield because of the 'injury-prone' infielder Anthony Rendon.
Kim Hye-sung revealed his honest feelings. He said, "If I can't perform like this, won't I struggle to play anywhere? I think it really depends on my performance no matter which team I go to."
He also said, "If I continue like this, I definitely won't be able to play anywhere. If I perform well in the remaining exhibition games, and my batting improves, I should be able to play wherever I go. So I don’t think about that at all. It's crucial for me to quickly show what I can do. I feel like I’m falling short right now, so showing well is the priority."
Kim Hye-sung needs to quickly internalize the modified batting stance through repeated training to achieve good results. He said, "It's not easy. I feel like I'm improving little by little, but since the results are not coming, it's tough psychologically. Batting is sensitive to every little thing, and changing the batting stance significantly makes it hard to complete the adjustment in a short period. I'm changing both my upper and lower body, and there’s a change in the swing path as well."
With negative public opinion and poor results, he might feel psychologically pressured. Kim Hye-sung said, "In baseball, the batting average is visible during games, so it's a part that inevitably concerns me psychologically. However, I need to overcome this. There is no guarantee that sticking to my old form would lead to good hitting. It's important to trust the modified batting stance and quickly turn it into my own."
Still, there are some changes. Kim Hye-sung said, "I think I've improved a bit in terms of seeing the ball. I believe it's important to adapt more and perfectly match my timing." He has now appeared in five games. There are still plenty of exhibition games remaining, and opportunities for a rebound exist. Fans are looking forward to Kim Hye-sung adapting to the modified batting stance and showing impressive batting results.
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