He certainly doesn’t live up to the nickname of ‘genius shortstop’.
He rarely gets the chance to start. But when you need him, he’s there. In a desperate situation, with a one-run lead. His name is always called last on the Lotte bench.
This is the story of Lotte infielder Lee Hak-joo (33).
Lee has played in a whopping 31 of Lotte’s 42 games so far.먹튀검증
However, he has only managed 27 at-bats. In one game, he had less than one at-bat.
This is because he is mainly used as a catcher. His name is always called at the end of a winning game. He is usually used as a replacement for the main third baseman, Han Dong-hee.
However, his importance is not low. He is the guardian of Lotte’s tight games.
Lotte is not a strong offensive team. They’ve improved a lot recently, but they don’t win many games by a lot of goals.
Naturally, there are a lot of tight games. There are a lot of games where you have to defend one or two points at the end of the game to win.
This is why Lee Hak-joo is absolutely necessary.
Lotte third baseman Han Dong-hee is not a good defender. In a tight game, it’s hard to trust her with the hot corner.
That’s where Lee Hak-joo comes in. Lee Hak-joo is one of the most reliable defenders in the Lotte hot corner.
Most of the time, he doesn’t even get a chance to bat. He hasn’t had a hit in three consecutive games, contributing to the team only with his defence.
However, with Lee Hak-joo at the plate, Lotte can comfortably watch the end of the game. Lee’s steady defence can lead to the stability of the entire Lotte infield.
The main shortstop, Noh Jin-hyuk, is not the strongest defender. Second baseman Park Seung-wook and first baseman Ahn Chi-hong are both infielders with weaknesses.
In such a situation, the presence of Lee Hak-joo, who can cover third base or even shortstop, is very important. He is a steady defender who can settle nail-biting games at the end of the game.
Of course, expectations were higher for Lee Hak-joo. He was signed with the idea of being the main infielder and anchoring the Lotte defence.
However, his hitting ability did not meet expectations. He was eventually relegated to the infield.
However, Lee Hak-joo’s presence cannot be underestimated. He’s been a big part of Lotte’s ability to organise games comfortably.
An inconsequential player with fewer at-bats than games played. However, his presence is second to none.
Without Lee Hak-joo, the team would still be able to play, but it would be much less stable.
This is why Lotte absolutely needs Lee Hak-joo right now.
The ‘genius shortstop’ is still showing his skills when the team needs him.