The man who filled the biggest hole in the LG Twins’ lineup and helped them win their first championship in 29 years was none other than Daejayoo.
Shin Min-jae. No one thought of him as a starter at second base. He was only thought of as a pinch-hitter and defender because of his quick feet. Not surprisingly, he played in the outfield.
He had 10 stolen bases in 2019, but he also had eight caught stealing. He was quick, but he didn’t get off to a great start. In 2020, his success rate improved to 80% with eight successful steals and only two failed attempts, but his chances dwindled. He only played 32 games in 2021 and 14 last year. He played more in the second team.
Playing regularly in the second team proved to be the medicine for Shin Min-jae, and it was the piece of the puzzle that helped LG win the title in 2023.
New coach Yoon Kyung-yeop was looking for a fast runner. He needed a player who could score a point in a late-game tie, so Shin could get back into the first team.
He started the 2023 season as a substitute.
But an opportunity came unexpectedly. Seo Gun-chang, the main second baseman, was sent down to the second team due to poor performance, and Son Ho-young was injured. With Kim Min-sung unable to continue as the starting second baseman, Shin Min-jae was given the opportunity to play. Shin Min-jae used his quick feet to get hits one by one and gradually increased his chances, and before he knew it, he was the starting second baseman. He started on May 21 against Jamsil Hanwha, and that’s how he became LG’s second baseman.
He was criticized for his weak defense. However, as he continued to play, his defense improved. With his quick feet and wide range of defense, he was in charge of the infield alongside shortstop Oh Ji-hwan.
By the end of August, he was leading the league in stolen bases with a 3-for-1 record.
However, his stamina declined as he started playing full-time for the first time.
His batting average dropped to 2-for-4 in September, and after the title was secured, he went out for the season with an injury and lost the stolen base title to Doosan’s Jung Soo-bin, who had to settle for second place.
For the season, he batted 2-for-7 with 78 hits, 28 RBI, 47 runs scored and 37 stolen bases. In the Korean Series, he batted just 1-for-6 (3-for-18), 온라인카지노 but his steady defense helped his team win the series, and he got the final out of the game in the top of the ninth inning of Game 5 by catching a hit by pitch.
Shin Min-jae will start at second base next year. LG’s second basemen have a homework assignment to fulfill. A Golden Glove. The last LG second baseman to win a Golden Glove was Park Jong-ho, who played second base in the 1994 championship, 29 years ago. The last third baseman to win the award was Han Dae-hwa in 1994.
This year, first baseman Austin Dean became the first first baseman to win a Golden Glove since Seo Yong-bin, breaking the 29-year drought. Next year, it will be 30 years. LG’s big question is whether Shin Min-jae, who solved the second baseman’s homework, can now win a Golden Glove. The opportunity for second basemen, including Shin Min-jae, came when Kim Hye-sung, who won a Golden Glove two years in a row, said she would like to return to shortstop next year.