“There are people who say that if it hadn’t been for no hits, I wouldn’t have been able to get better grades.스포츠토토

Noh Si-hwan (22, Hanwha Eagles) has a batting average of 0.315 (9th in the league), 92 hits (3rd), 17 homers (2nd), 52 RBIs (2nd in a tie) and 45 runs (4th in a tie) as of the 3rd. The combined OPS of on-base percentage (0.393, 7th) and slugging percentage (0.548, 2nd) reached 0.941 (2nd). He is ranked within the top 10 in all batting categories excluding stolen bases, including doubles (17, tied for 7th) and walks (37, tied for 9th).

In particular, the upward trend of the blow has been hot since June. He appeared in 26 games, where he had a batting average of . 369 with 8 home runs and 26 RBIs. His home run and RBI pace is twice as high as last spring (9 homers and 26 RBIs in 47 games). The batting average in scoring position, which was pointed out as low until May, has risen to 0.274. With 7 final strokes (tied for 4th place), the WPA (Win Probability Contribution), which measures performance in the match, also ranked first in the league (1.72, based on Sports 2 I).

Even in mid-May, it was difficult to expect that such a report card would be recovered. At that time, Noh Si-hwan showed a peak sense of hitting (as of May 13, batting average 0.359, 8 homers, OPS 1.055) and fell into a swamp of no hits in 43 consecutive at-bats. His high batting average dropped to 0.277 (as of May 27).

However, he regained his hitting pace from the end of May, and even hit homeruns from mid-June. In terms of home runs, he is not inferior to SSG Landers ‘Legend’ Choi Jeong (19 homers). Considering that Choi Jeong uses a hitter-friendly home stadium, Roh Si-hwan’s batting productivity can be regarded as the best. In fact, Noh Si-hwan is recording a wRC+ (adjusted scoring productivity with an average of 100 in the league) 168.4 (1st place) and WAR (contribution to victory against substitute players) 3.52 (jointly 2nd place), reflecting the stadium environment.

Wouldn’t he want to forget the nightmare of 43 at-bats with no hits? There is no family law in baseball. Still, if Roh Si-hwan’s 43 at-bats (36 at-bats) were simply deleted, his batting average for the season would be 0.359 (92 hits in 256 at-bats). If it had become a reality, he might have been named in the KBO League’s ‘All-time Season’.

However, Noh Si-hwan did not forget his past. He didn’t even think about the ‘what if’. Noh Si-hwan said, “Looking back at the first half with only a few games left, there were difficult times. He said, “People around me say, ‘If there was no hit period, wouldn’t I be getting better grades now?

Hanwha Noh Si-hwan celebrates after hitting a home run in the 7th inning against Daejeon KT on June 28. Photo = Courtesy of Hanwha

Sluggishness makes you doubt yourself. Even more so, Noh Si-hwan, who changed his approach to put the hitting point ahead this season, was easily swayed, but he managed to persevere. Noh Si-hwan said, “There was a time when I changed my form or timing if the bat didn’t fit. This season, I pushed through what I could do. I endured, thinking, ‘One day I’ll get a good fit’.” It could have broken quickly, but I think the bad feeling lasted for a long time after it broke. I experienced that last year, so I focused on my routine this year. The no-hit period got longer, but that’s why I was able to come up so well after that.”

Every hitter has a slump. The difference between who escapes faster and more clearly separates a brief ‘one-hit wonder’ from a ‘legend’ that shines for 20 years. Noh Si-hwan, who came out of the slump, is taking steps to grow into a legend.