Samsung Lions catcher Kang Min-ho, who has played 2,233 games until last season, is on the verge of playing the most games in his career. It is only four games apart from Park Yong-taek (former LG Twins, 2,237 games), who holds the previous record for most games, and only 67 games are left before 2,300 games, so it is expected to be achieved within the first half. Kang Min-ho’s most appearance is even more meaningful because he played as a catcher who consumes a lot of physical strength for most of his career.
△ Will Choi Jung of SSG become the home run king with his ‘magic number’ of 10 home runs
Choi Jeong-eun, SSG Landers’ home run factory manager, had 1,368 points until the 2023 season, beating Doosan Bears manager Lee Seung-yeop (former Samsung, 1,355 points), who was the top scorer in his career. Having already become the top scorer, Choi is now looking into the home run king position. Choi Jeong, who has 29 home runs in last year’s season alone and 458 in his career so far, will secure the top home run ranking this season beyond Lee Seung-yeop, who has 467 home runs in his career. Attention is focusing on whether Choi Jeong, who has been leading the league with 10 home runs in his first 18 consecutive seasons until last year, will be able to add 10 home runs to a new record this year.
△ Will he continue to be active in the year of ‘Dragon’ NC Son Ah-seop, Hanwha Noh Si-hwan, and Blue Dragon
It is also worth paying attention to the performances of players born in the Year of the Dragon, the year of the Blue Dragon. First of all, Son Ah-seop, the NC Dinos’ “captain” born in 1988, aims to set a new record for the most hits in the KBO league. Son, who had 187 hits in the 2023 season alone to raise his total number of hits to 2,416, has only 89 left, including his previous career record of 2,504 hits (Park Yong-taek, former LG). If he continues the pace last season, he will have 150 hits in nine consecutive seasons following the last one, along with the most hits in the KBO.
Another dragon-year-old Hanwha Eagles Noh Si-hwan (23 years, 3 months, 18 days, and 3/21 days) added 31 homers last season alone and recorded 68 homers in his career, so adding 32 homers this season will achieve 100 homers. Lee Seung-yeop (former Samsung), who is 22 years, 8 months, and 17 days old, was the youngest to achieve 100 homers in the league’s history, and Jang Jong-hoon (former Binggrae), who is 23 years, 5 months, and 4 days old, ranked second.
△ What are the new records that Hanwha Ryu Hyun-jin will achieve after returning to Hanwha for the first time in 12 years?
“Korean Monster” Ryu Hyun-jin (Hanwha), whose record has been suspended since the 2012 season, is expected to continue his milestone in wins and strikeouts. In particular, Ryu has 98 wins in his career, and if he wins two games, he will achieve 100 wins in his career. In addition to the current record of 1,238 strikeouts, if 62 is added, he will have 1,300 strikeouts in his career, and if he adds 100, he will have 100 strikeouts in eight consecutive seasons.
△ Icon of steadiness… The never-ending challenge of pitchers
Attention is also focusing on pitchersperformance to set consecutive records with unstoppable runs. Koo Seung-min of the Lotte Giants, who recorded 22 holds in last years season to achieve 20 holds for the second four consecutive seasons and 100 holds for the first time in his teams history, will challenge to record 20 holds for the first five consecutive seasons in the leagues history this season.
Kim Jae-yoon and Oh Seung-hwan, two leading closing pitcher candidates for Samsung this year, will challenge to record 30 saves in their first four consecutive seasons. Kim Jae-yoon made 32 saves and Oh made 30 saves in the 2023 season, which makes it worth looking forward to seeing the two closers who will take charge of the Lions again this year.
Yang Hyun-jong, the “great pitcher” of the KIA Tigers, proved himself to be the epitome of consistency by recording 100 innings in 10 consecutive seasons and 100 strikeouts in nine consecutive seasons until 2023. Attention is focusing on whether he will be able to prove his consistency again by recording 100 innings-100 strikeouts this season.
△ Kiwoom Lee Yong-gyu challenges the honorary record of ‘5th 400th stolen base in KBO League’
So far, there are four batters in KBO history who have achieved more than 400 steals in total: Jeon Joon-ho (former Hyundai Unicorns, 549), Lee Jong-beom (former KIA, 510), Lee Dae-hyung (former KT Wiz, 505), and Jung Soo-geun (former Lotte, 474). Kiwoom Lee Yong-kyu will challenge the milestone recorded by only a few batters. Lee Yong-kyu, who currently has 394 steals, will be in the Hall of 400 steals if he adds six more.
LG’s Park Hae-min is following suit. Having stolen 26 bases last year alone, Park has 368 steals, and if he adds 32 more, he will have 400 steals.
Meanwhile, the 2024 season opener will mark the start of the long journey in Jamsil (Hanwha-LG), Munhak (Lotte-SSG), Changwon (Doosan-NC), Suwon (Samsung-KT), and Gwangju (Kium-KIA) at 2 p.m. on the 23rd.
BY: 토토사이트