I felt very sorry for Seung-ju. I tried to solve it myself when I had the chance.”
Moon Hyun-bin (Hanwha Eagles), who went back and forth between hell and heaven, shared his feelings.
Moon Hyun-bin started at first base and second base in the 2023 KBO Baseball League’s away game against the Kiwoom Heroes at the Gocheok SkyDome in Guro-gu, Seoul on Tuesday.
The first inning didn’t go well for Moon. In the top of the first inning, he flied out to left field and made an error that led to the first run of the game. With two outs, Lee Ju-hyung’s ball hit the first baseman’s body, and Moon caught it and threw home. However, Song’s throw went wide, allowing Kim Hye-sung, the second baseman, to score.
Luckily, Moon made up for it in the top of the third. With runners on second and third and Han Hwa trailing 0-1, he pulled a two-seam, low, 144-kilometer fastball from starter Joo Seung-woo over the right field fence for a three-run shot that traveled 120 meters. It was Moon’s fourth home run of the season.
Moon’s arch proved to be the game-winner as Hanwha never allowed the tying run to score and went on to win 9-8. He also drew a walk in the top of the fourth inning and came home on a wild pitch, finishing the day with four hits, one home run, three RBIs, one walk and two runs scored.
Speaking after the game, Moon said, “In the bottom of the first inning, I made a bad throw and made an immature play. I gave up one run too easily there, so I felt very sorry for (starting pitcher) Seung-ju Han.” “I tried to take care of it when I got a chance at the plate, and then I got a chance at second and third base. I tried not to be greedy and just try to hit a light fly or a sacrifice fly, but I think it turned out well because the pitch came in. I knew it was going to go over (when it hit),” he said with a sigh of relief.
When asked if he felt the pressure of his mistakes, he said, “I’ve been playing a lot and it’s hard to play every day if you dwell on every single mistake. I think I’ve learned to forget about it quickly. I try to forget as much as possible and prepare for the next one. I think I’ve improved a lot in that regard.”
Moon Hyun-bin, who was selected by Hanwha with the 11th overall pick in the second round in 2023, has had an impressive year this season. Despite it being his rookie season, he has slowly made his presence felt, and as of today, he is batting .255 (88-for-345) with four home runs and 37 RBIs in 111 games.
However, he has had his ups and downs. In August, he showed weaknesses in his stamina that led to a temporary slump. Add to that the return of starting second baseman Jung Eun-won to the lineup, and Moon’s time on the bench has increased.
But Moon didn’t give up. He continued to prepare for games, and as a result, he’s been hitting well lately. In the four-game series against Kiwoom, which included a doubleheader on the 9th, Moon went 6-for-6 with one home run and six RBIs. Behind Moon’s performance, Hanwha swept the four-game series and snapped Pajuk’s six-game winning streak to reach 50 wins (6 ties, 62 losses). Hanwha’s four-game sweep, including a doubleheader, was the first in 7,300 days since a series against the LG Twins in Daejeon from Sept. 13 to Sept. 15, 2003.
“I could definitely feel my stamina dropping. I was swinging harder and using more energy than I should have. I could feel my stamina dropping in these areas. I asked my seniors a lot about fitness management and continued to do what was right for me.” Looking back on his difficult time, Moon continued, “When I wasn’t playing, I had a strong desire to play. I kept preparing. Whether it was a substitute or a starter, I thought I had to be fully prepared. I think my preparation paid off,” he said.
Moon, who started the season in center field, has been playing exclusively at second base lately. This has helped him immensely.먹튀검증
“I think I’ve gotten a little more comfortable playing second base. When I used to play center field, I felt a lot of pressure because of the amount of training, but since I’ve been playing second base, I can focus more and have more time to relax.” “I feel like I’m gaining a little more confidence,” he said.