A hot run of 18 games, the record left by Lee Jeong-hoo and the challenge to begin again > News

Lee Jung-hoo's consecutive hitting record began against the LA Dodgers on the 15th of last month and continued for nearly a month, surprising the Major League stage. During 18 games, he produced hits regardless of the pitch type of the opposing pitcher, demonstrating league-leading contact ability. In particular, he should be highly praised for maintaining his batting balance despite the daily forced marches and raising his season batting average to the low to mid 300s, the highest level in the league. However, in the game against the Chicago Cubs held on the 13th, he went 0-for-3, and the record was unfortunately halted as the tension seemed to have eased. Although the record has stopped, the tenacity he showed against opposing pitchers and his composure at the plate proved why he is a hitter who is attracting attention in the major leagues.

The dominant analysis is that the variable called 'rest' played a role in the background of this record suspension. Lee Jeong-hoo has continued his march by appearing in 13 games without taking a single day off since the 30th of last month, but taking a long-awaited break just before the record was broken seems to have brought about a slight change in his batting rhythm. As baseball is a sport of the senses, it is highly likely that the biological rhythm that responds to pitching every day may be slightly out of sync due to a day's rest. On the day of the game, he only hit a ground ball to first base against Cubs' starting pitcher Javier Assad, and although he hit a strong ball at the plate afterward, he failed to produce a hit as he was caught by the opponent's defense or was thrown out by a fly ball. Rather than simply a decrease in hitting sensation, it is reasonable to interpret this as part of the natural adjustment process that occurs immediately after tension is resolved.

Meanwhile, in this game, the struggles of Korean major leaguers other than Lee Jung-hoo stood out, adding to the disappointment of fans. Atlanta's Kim Ha-seong, who played in the game for the first time in six days, also failed to produce a hit, recording no hits and one walk in two at-bats against the New York Mets, and is having a difficult time with his season batting average dropping to 0.093. Ha-Seong Kim calmly drew a walk in his first at-bat, creating an opportunity to get on base, but was unable to contribute to the team's scoring due to the failure of subsequent batters. San Diego's Song Seong-moon was also excluded from this game's roster and remained on the bench, making it a somewhat stagnant day for Korean players overall. They are all going through an adjustment period in their own way in front of the huge wall called the Major League, and it remains to be seen whether this slump will be a temporary rite of passage for a higher leap forward.

Although the record has been discontinued, it is still encouraging to see that Lee Jeong-hoo maintains second place in the league batting average. The hits he accumulated over 18 games are clear evidence that he has perfectly adapted to the fastballs and breaking balls of the big leagues. With the season just getting back on track and with so many games left to play, this no-hitter will have limited impact on his overall performance for the season. Rather, now that he is free from the pressure of keeping records, he has the opportunity to step into the batter's box with a more free mind. Fans are now expecting him to show off his baseball skills at the plate once again, just like he did that day when he set a new record of hitting in 18 consecutive games.