"Deale Could Move to Third Base" Finally, a Scenario for Shortstop Kim Do-young Emerges! Manager Acknowledges the Need... With Conditions

*This content was translated by AI.

Finally, a scenario for KIA Tigers shortstop Kim Do-young (23) has emerged from the manager.

KIA manager Lee Beom-ho stated on the 22nd ahead of the match against Suwon KT Wiz, "If (Jered) Deale can play second or third base, we will have (Kim) Do-young practice at shortstop to see when he can step in."

This comes due to Deale's continued errors at shortstop. This season, KIA intended to fill the void left by FA departure Park Chan-ho (31) with Deale, a shortstop from the Australian national team. Park Chan-ho was the shortstop who had been responsible for KIA's infield defense with stability for the past 11 years.

There are three main reasons. First, it was judged that existing shortstop resources could not fill the offensive and defensive gaps left by Park Chan-ho. Second, the aging of key players. Third, KIA is the 2024 Korean Series champion. For KIA, which must win the championship once more, there was no room for the same luxury they had when developing Park Chan-ho in the past.

Therefore, acquiring Deale appeared to be a rational decision to cultivate a next-generation shortstop. The immediate gap would be filled by Deale, with the expectation that domestic players would naturally grow through competition with him. However, looking only at the early part of the season, this decision appears to be closer to a mistake. Deale's batting has not been bad, recording a .303 average (76 at-bats, 23 hits), 1 home run, 6 RBIs, 13 runs scored, and 1 stolen base in 20 games, with an on-base percentage of .365, slugging percentage of .395, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of .760.

The problem was defense at the most critical defensive position. As of the 22nd game, Deale had committed seven errors, ranking first in the league for total errors across all positions. It was not just the high number of errors; the lack of the wide vision and cool judgment required of a shortstop led to plays that disappointed KIA.

Most recently, a representative case occurred on the 21st during the Suwon KT game, when Deale made a poor throw to first base on Choi Won-jun's hit in the bottom of the first inning. The ball passed second base, and considering Choi Won-jun's speed, it would have been difficult to catch at first. Merely catching it would have warranted applause, but the reckless throw allowed additional advancement, creating an opportunity for a run.

In response, manager Lee Beom-ho said, "Shortstop is a demanding position. Since (Kim) Sun-bin's leg is not in good condition, we need to find various solutions, such as having him play second and third base." He added, "He has the ability to hit accurately and contributes more to the team offensively than defensively. We are discussing options with the players, such as playing him at first base if he cannot play second. If Deale can also play third base, we could have (Kim) Do-young practice at shortstop," hinting at the possibility of Kim Do-young at shortstop.

Until now, shortstop Kim Do-young has been a top priority for KIA club officials. Recognized by Major League (ML) scouts since his high school days for his athletic ability and speed, he was evaluated as fully capable of playing shortstop in the pros. However, due to frequent injuries and adaptation issues since his debut, he started as a third baseman, and now he is in his fifth year.

KIA also had its own reasons. Until last year, the position of starting shortstop was firmly held by Park Chan-ho. Park Chan-ho, who has been the starting shortstop since Kim Do-young's debut season in 2022, also began to unleash his batting potential. In contrast, except for 2024, Kim Do-young has not shown the skills or health to reliably handle the shortstop position.

In similar conditions, surpassing a starting shortstop with fully developed skills to promote a prospect is a rare sight even in Major League Baseball. It is more reasonable to interpret that Park Chan-ho's presence allowed Kim Do-young to gain time to fully adapt to the pros.

However, the justification for developing shortstop Kim Do-young is now in place. Deale and other shortstops in the league have proven that replacing a shortstop who demonstrates defense above the league average is not easy. Ultimately, if they must find a replacement from existing resources, Kim Do-young is the top priority for an opportunity.

As expected, the key issue is Kim Do-young's health. Kim Do-young suffered alternating hamstring injuries on both sides last year, raising concerns. Even in today's (22nd) game, seeing Kim Do-young in pain after being hit by a ball in an unfavorable spot, many fans were reminded of last year's hamstring nightmare.

Manager Lee Beom-ho stated a cautious stance, saying, "I want to proceed in a direction that minimizes strain on (Kim) Do-young. Even yesterday (22nd), Do-young ran all the way to home plate twice with full effort, which is very concerning. It is not a season where he has fully prepared for shortstop, and many players who have returned from the WBC have gotten injured."

He continued, "I am considering that he must go to shortstop for the player's future and the team's sake. However, since he built his body quickly from the start of the season and participated in major tournaments, I do not want to burden him yet. For now, I plan to utilize all the players we have and proceed step by step," expressing his conviction.

For now, in games where defense is crucial, Park Min (25) and Jung Hyun-chang (20) are expected to receive priority opportunities. When an aggressive approach is needed, Deale is likely to play. In the meantime, Kim Do-young will gradually receive shortstop defensive training while aiming for a starting opportunity. Before that, Kim Do-young must first completely dispel the concerns within the KIA organization.

Manager Lee Beom-ho did not let his guard down, saying, "Even yesterday (21st), he had to run home, and I worried about what would happen if he didn't, but there are things more important than a single game (health), so my emotions were mixed. If he goes to shortstop, he will have to play and also serve as a backup, so fatigue in his legs is inevitable. I am still a bit worried that he may feel burdened from building his body quickly and participating in many major tournaments."

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*This content was translated by AI.