Why was there worry?.
KIA Tigers foreign player Patrick Wisdom (31) is challenging a new history. This is the team's record for the most consecutive games with home runs, 5.
On 2nd, in the game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field against the Samsung Lions, he hit a two-run home run. In a close 0-0 game in the top of the 3rd inning with one out and runners on 1st base, he lifted the first pitch curve from Samsung starter Choi Won-tae over the left field wall. The distance was 120m, and the speed of the hit was 171 km/h. It was on par with the 88 home runs of Major League Baseball.
With this home run, he has drawn a curve for four consecutive games. The home run victims have also been elite pitchers. On March 25, he hit his first home run (2 runs) against Kiwoom starter Kim Yoon-ha. Then on 28th Cody Ponce, 29th Ryan Weiss, and 30th Ryu Hyun-jin fell victim. On that day, Choi Won-tae also performed well with 6 innings and 2 earned runs. The only run he allowed was the home run he gave up to Wisdom.
He set a tie record in the team's history. Four consecutive home runs were recorded by Jang Chae-geun three times, Kim Sung-han, Choi Hee-seop, and Ma Hae-young each twice, and Roger Bernadina once. In the game on 3rd, he is challenging the team’s history. Samsung's starting pitcher is left-handed Yariel Hurado. He has hit home runs against elite foreign pitchers, creating hope for record achievement. The KBO League's most record is 9 games by Lee Dae-ho.
Thanks to hitting 5 home runs in 9 games, he has risen to the top position in this category. Other statistics are also impressive. His slugging percentage (.889) is also first. He has drawn 1 walk, tying for first place. His on-base percentage (.474) is first among foreign players and ranks 7th overall. His OPS (1.363) is also in first place. Although it is not a .300 batting average, he is the hottest among KBO League hitters.
Before the opening, manager Lee Beom-ho expressed concern about such a hitter. "He is newly joined and adapting to the league. If it were a pitcher, there wouldn't be much of an issue with adaptation, but hitters are different. They need to understand what kind of pitches and what types there are. They have to adapt to the pitches of good pitchers in the regular season. I am a bit worried because he is a new player. I don't worry about other players, but it seems important how Wisdom endures the first month," he noted.
As soon as the opening lid was lifted, Wisdom turned the manager's worries into a false alarm. He has succeeded in getting on base in all 9 games. If there are no hits, he at least draws walks. He was the cleanup hitter when hitting home runs and was the second hitter when drawing walks. KIA has not produced a foreign home run king. Perhaps he is also in a position to challenge for the on-base king. A foreign type like this has not existed in KIA's history. The team is struggling with a record of 3 wins and 6 losses, but Wisdom is providing comfort.
sunny@osen.co.kr
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