The quiet battle of King Doru is on fire.
Just as there are players who become scary when they step up to the plate, there are players who become dangerous the moment they become runners. A runner who can steal a base at any time is quite a nuisance to the opponent. A fierce three-way battle was predicted for this season’s best title.먹튀검증
The current race leader is LG’s ‘Cinderella’ Shin Min-jae, who has 30 stolen bases as of the 6th. Although he was a pinch runner specialist, he took a step up in both offense and defense and became the starting second baseman this year. As his appearances became more frequent, his chances of stealing also increased.
Combined with LG coach Yeom Kyung-yeop’s aggressive base running tendencies, the stolen base attempt rate rises to 30.9% (42/136). He ranks overwhelmingly first among batters with more than 200 plate appearances. There is also a large difference with 2nd place Kim Do-young (KIA, 20.7%). He alone reached the 30-steal mark with a success rate of 71.4%. If this continues, he can reach the first stolen base title in his life.
There are two pursuers chasing after him. First is Park Chan-ho (KIA), the ‘defending champion’ in the stolen base category. Last year, he surpassed Kim Hye-seong (Kiwoom) with 41 stolen bases. He has emerged as a shortstop Golden Glove candidate with a career high this year, and shows off his consistent speed with 27 stolen bases.
The confidence he gained with his revitalized bat became a catalyst, and he stole 10 bases in the second half. He also increased his opportunities to steal bases thanks to his on-base percentage of 0.454 (second in the second half). Taking advantage of this momentum, he aims to become the third stolen base king in his career, following 2019 (39 stolen bases) and 2022.
Doosan’s ageless veteran center fielder Jeong Soo-bin is the second chaser. His trademark ‘super catch’, which involves flying across the outfield with his quick feet, was consistent when it came to stealing bases. Except for the 2018 season, when he joined the Police Baseball Team mid-season, he has accumulated double-digit stolen bases in each of the past 12 seasons.
However, he has never reached the stolen base title. In 2014, when he recorded a career-high 32 steals, he gave up his position to Kim Sang-soo (then Samsung, 53 steals), and in 2011, when he recorded 31 steals, he gave up his position to teammate Oh Jae-won (46 steals). He, who has been waiting for an opportunity, is taking on a challenge this year, when he turns 33. Compared to his competitors, his stolen base success rate is the highest at 87.1%, so he aims to win his first title with stolen bases that combine speed with experience.