In baseball, there’s a saying: “There are no slumps in baseball. An ace may have a control wobble, and a third baseman may have an off day, but a fast foot can’t go anywhere, barring injury.
The versatile “transfer student” Ryu Ji-hyuk (infielder) leads Samsung’s running baseball. As of the 21st, Ryu leads the team with 15 stolen bases. His stolen base success rate is 88.2%. In the second half of the season, he has stolen 10 bases in 10 attempts. He stole three bases against the Daegu LG on April 17, setting a new single-game record.
He led off the second inning with a single to left field against LG starter Casey Kelly. When Kim Dong-jin came to bat, he stole second base. In the process, he collided with shortstop Kim Min-sung, and he took third on a wild pitch. In the fourth inning, he singled to right and then stole second when Kang Kang-ul came to bat.
“I didn’t know it was a record for the most stolen bases in a single game, but I played because I was signed, and it was all thanks to my coach,” Ryu Ji-hyuk said of his record-breaking performance.
Manager Park Jin-man, who praised Ryu after the game on the 17th, saying, “Ryu Ji-hyuk plays like a role model, showing ‘this is how baseball is played,’” said ahead of the game on the 18th, “It was difficult to score runs because the opponent’s ace was on the mound, but Ryu Ji-hyuk shook the opponent with his active base running. Ryu Ji-hyeok’s performance helped to bring the atmosphere.”
“I didn’t recognize him when he was at KIA, but after he came to us, I realized he was good at stealing bases. Stealing bases is not just about having fast feet. You also need to have sense and understand the habits of the opposing pitchers. Ryu Ji-hyuk did a good job,” he added.
Ryu set a single-season record with 18 stolen bases in 2019, when he was with Doosan. At his current pace, he could break the record. This month, he’s batting 4-for-1 with 24 home runs in 58 at-bats, and his nine stolen bases have made him the No. 1 target for pitchers from other clubs.
In addition to Ryu, Kim Ji-hyuk, Kim Ji-chan and Kim Sung-yoon are also giving opposing batters headaches. Kim Ji-chan is one of the best juniors on the team, having surpassed 20 stolen bases for three straight years since his debut in 2020. After reaching double digits for the first time in his career last year, Kim is on pace to set a new single-season record with 11 stolen bases this season. 먹튀검증
“Kim Ji-chan and Kim Sung-yoon are doing a good job of shaking up the opposition in the outfield,” said Park Jin-man.
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