“Shi-hwan didn’t want to bat as a designated hitter.”
Game 8 of the 2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League between the Hanwha Eagles and Samsung Lions at Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon on the 4th.
Speaking before the game, Hanwha head coach Choi Won-ho said, “It’s good for him to rest as a designated hitter, but he doesn’t like to play as a designated hitter. He kept asking me about it, so I told him, ‘If you don’t like it, talk to me,'” Choi said.스포츠토토
Noh Si-hwan is Hanwha’s centre fielder. In 50 games through four days, he is batting .294 with 57 hits, nine home runs, 30 RBIs and 30 runs scored. With the team’s lack of depth, Hanwha needs to conserve the stamina of Noh, Chae Eun-sung, and Kim In-hwan. That’s why coach Choi Won-ho wanted to give Noh a break.
Of course, it’s not that they can’t defend. He has nine errors in defence, but there are times when his defence is impeccable. “I have to be good at defence. If you want to go with the bat, you have to hit really well. Defence has to be the foundation. That’s why I think defence is important too. When I practice, I focus more on my defence than my bat,” he said, emphasising the importance of defence.
On this day, Noh’s defence was immaculate, and it was easy to see why he eagerly declined the manager’s request.
In the second inning, he caught Kim Jae-sung’s hard-hit ball and threw to first base. It took a load off the shoulders of starter Ricardo Sanchez.
That wasn’t the end of it, though. In the third inning, two runs were scored and runners were on first and second with one out. Kang Min-ho’s slow ball was caught cleanly and thrown to first base. In the fourth inning, the leadoff hitter, Lee Jae-hyun, hit a difficult short boundary ball.
In the second half of the game, Noh’s luck continued. With runners on first and second base in the sixth inning, he caught Kim Dong-yeop’s grounder for a double play, and Kim Dong-yeop’s hard hit with one out in the eighth inning was no problem.
In addition to his defence, Noh Si-hwan batted fifth on the day, going 1-for-3 with a home run, one RBI and one run scored in the 10-5 win. Hanwha snapped a two-game losing streak.
Hoseby highlights why he refused his manager’s request. For the second night in a row, Hanwha Life Eagles Park was packed to capacity. The 12,000 fans were treated to the defence of Noh Si-hwan.