Could the appropriate batting order for San Francisco Giants' Lee Jung-hoo be better suited for the middle lineup than for lead-off? Lee Jung-hoo has been shaking off the shackles of 'getting on base' and maintaining a hot batting feel with bold batting.

On the 7th (Korean time), Lee Jung-hoo played as the starting center fielder batting third in a spring training exhibition game against the Chicago White Sox at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he went 1 for 3 with 1 hit (1 home run) and 2 RBIs.

He continued a hot streak with hits in four consecutive games, hitting a home run. His batting average in the exhibition games dropped slightly to .400, but his OPS rose from 1.147 to 1.228 with his second home run of the spring.

The starting pitcher that day was Jonathan Cannon. Cannon is a right-handed pitcher who had a record of 5 wins, 10 losses, and 1 save with an earned run average of 4.49 in 23 games (21 starts) last year.

In his first at-bat of the first inning, Lee Jung-hoo flew out to center field, but in his second at-bat, he hit a home run. After one out, he created an opportunity with a hit-by-pitch for Willy Adames, putting runners on first and second. Lee Jung-hoo targeted a pitch over the plate from the mound's Jonathan Cannon, launching a two-run homer that cleared the right-center field wall on a 1 ball 2 strikes count.

With this home run, Lee Jung-hoo extended his hitting streak to four consecutive games. He also hit a home run for the first time in six games since the match against the Colorado Rockies on the 25th of last month.

In his third at-bat of the fourth inning, he came to the plate in a bases-loaded situation with two outs. After one out, consecutive hits by Mike Yastrzemski and Tyler Fitzgerald, along with a hit-by-pitch for Ramonte Wade Jr., created a one-out, bases-loaded opportunity. Previously, Willy Adames struck out, leaving Lee Jung-hoo at the plate with two outs and the bases loaded.

Lee Jung-hoo made contact on the first pitch against Tyler Gilbert but was unable to capitalize, grounding out to second base. He completed his defensive duties until the fifth inning before being substituted for Grant McCray, concluding his day.

In his Major League debut season last year, Lee Jung-hoo was used as a lead-off hitter. Manager Bob Melvin's strategy aimed to utilize Lee Jung-hoo's contact abilities. However, it was difficult to ascertain Lee Jung-hoo's power-hitting potential. He set a hitting concept suitable for lead-off, avoiding strikeouts to a great extent. In last year's spring training, he struck out 4 times in 40 plate appearances, resulting in a strikeout rate of only 10%. Although the sample size was small due to shoulder surgery, he still recorded a low strikeout rate of 8.2% with 13 strikeouts in 158 plate appearances during the regular season. It was Lee Jung-hoo's badge of honor.

However, this year, Manager Melvin noted plans to move Lee Jung-hoo to the middle of the lineup. This strategy aimed to maximize the on-base capabilities of Ramonte Wade Jr., who recorded a .380 on-base percentage last year, and has a 1.5 difference between his career batting average and on-base percentage, placing Lee Jung-hoo in a role to drive in runs in the middle lineup.

Lee Jung-hoo is demonstrating hitting direction and records suitable for the middle lineup. He added another home run that day and also hit one additional double. Last year, he had 1 home run in 40 plate appearances in the spring training and 2 home runs in 158 plate appearances during the regular season, but this year, he already has 2 home runs in just 23 plate appearances. He has unleashed his power from the middle lineup, swinging aggressively and demonstrating explosive hitting. However, strikeouts have increased, with 5 strikeouts in 23 plate appearances, resulting in a strikeout rate of 21.7%.

The increase in strikeouts is even being interpreted as a positive indicator. The North American sports media outlet The Athletic mentioned on the 7th (Korean time) in an article titled '3 predictions for the Giants based on meaningless spring training statistics' that referred to Lee Jung-hoo's current hitting performance and strikeout rate.

The media stated, 'The sample size is small. I won't say that this year's spring training batting average is meaningful. If he goes 0 for 10, his batting average could drop to the .200s,' adding, 'But if we're expecting the opportunity to come with hits, then it is not unlikely. There are many factors that make us anticipate the 2025 season, and Lee Jung-hoo is likely to be at the center of it.'

The report continued, 'Lee Jung-hoo played just over a month last year, recording an OPS of .641. He struck out 8 times in his first 80 plate appearances, but only 5 times in the next 80. He struck out twice in the sixth game of the season and has never struck out more than twice in a game.' It also compared Lee Jung-hoo's contact ability and his astonishingly low strikeout rate against the league’s top contact hitters. Last year, the strikeout rates were 4.3% for Luis Arraez (San Diego Padres) and 9.4% for Steven Kwan (Cleveland Guardians).

Following that, it was mentioned that despite Lee Jung-hoo's currently high strikeout rate, it is seen as a sign that he could be at the center of San Francisco's turnaround. The media remarked, 'Currently, Lee Jung-hoo's strikeout rate is closer to Kyle Schwarber (Philadelphia Phillies) than to Steven Kwan.' Schwarber, the league's strikeout king, recorded a 28.5% strikeout rate and 197 strikeouts last year.

However, it emphasized, 'Lee Jung-hoo's hitting will determine the team's fate. Currently, projections and the instincts of baseball experts indicate that the Giants' lineup is expected to perform below average. If they overturn those expectations, Lee Jung-hoo will be at the center of that. Literally. Lee Jung-hoo may very well be at the center.'

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