Korean Bats On The Way?

Posted by Philip Riccobono at 2 July, at 12 : 00 PM Print

From Contributor Yoon Chul, The Korea Times

Kim Hyun-soo of the Doosan Bears, and Lee Yong-kyu of the KIA Tigers are the strongest candidates for the majors.

Lee played on Korea’s World Baseball Classic team, hitting lead-off; batting first for the Tigers too. Lee’s gets on with his good eye, patience, and contact-hitting.

Kim routinely bats third, but he can also be a table setter. In addition he also carries out the operation. The 23-year-old also can steal, as well as fluster pitchers on the bases. One weakness is the left-handed outfielder injured his ankle early this season. He is rehabbing right now, and may return July or August.

Kim hyun-soo is the much more attractive batter. His contact ability is brilliant; even when he’s off balance, he gets hits. In addition, he has enough power to hit home runs in MLB. The lefty handed outfielder is very similar to Choo Shin-soo of Cleveland.

If I compare them, I will give more points to Kim for contact ability; however Choo is more powerful than Kim. Kim is less fast than Lee, but he also steals as well as carries out the operation.

As you have seen in the WBC, the Korean hitters usually have ability to carry out the operation with a little more power.

I don’t want to evaluate the Japanese baseball player’s ability; they are really good.

But I don’t think Korean top players are weaker than Japanese one.

I can give stats of Kim Hyun-soo until now (June 1, 2009), but I will not post the stat of Lee’s one because he played very little this season

Kim Hyun-soo

After 42 games, Kim was batting .399, OPS .661.

News Choo Shin, Kim Hyun, Lee Yong, World Baseball Classic