*This content was translated by AI.
Letting go of the desire to hit well actually sent the ball farther. Moon Jung-bin (23), LG Twins' best "hit product" this season, is gradually overcoming the growing pains of his first full-time professional season.
On the 16th in a game against Changwon NC Dinos, Moon started at fifth spot and first base, raking in five RBIs including his 17th home run of the season. LG, led by Moon's performance, defeated NC 9-2 and extended their winning streak to four games.
It was the result of not obsessing over a single hit but hitting according to the situation. In the second inning, Moon calmly picked apart Mike Cleavinger (36)'s first time facing him, selecting between his sweeper, cutter, and four-seam fastball before drawing a walk after a full count. Against Bae Jae-hwan (32) in the fourth inning, he took a looking strikeout on an outside low breaking ball.
But it was different with runners in scoring position. In the fifth inning with the score tied 2-2 and one out with the bases loaded, Moon pushed Shin Young-woo's (22) pitch that was inside to the middle of the plate into the gap. The ball rolled toward the center-field fence for a sacrifice fly by the center fielder, giving LG a 3-2 lead. In the seventh inning with one out and runners on second and third, he did not miss Lee Yong-jun's (24) pitch that was inside to the middle of the plate. Once again, he launched a large hit toward center field for another RBI via sacrifice fly.
The highlight came in the ninth inning. With LG leading 6-2 and no outs with runners on first and second, Moon boldly lifted Kim Tae-kyung's (25) slider inside to his body. The ball soared well over the left-center-field fence. His 17th home run of the season was a three-run shot. The five RBIs he had accumulated through two sacrifice flies were now complete. After the game, when asked about his performance, Moon smiled and said, "I wasn't thinking I had five RBIs. Coach Kim Jae-yul came over and told me, 'You have five RBIs,' and that's when I realized it."
That very carelessness explains his hitting that day. In the first half, over 34 games, Moon hit .313 (26 hits in 83 at-bats) with seven home runs and 20 RBIs, appearing like a comet. It is hard to believe he is a player who wore an LG uniform after being drafted in the second round of the 2022 KBO Rookie Draft as the 77th overall pick, having attended Gadocho Middle School, Jamsin Middle School, and Seoul High School. He quickly secured a spot in the first-team lineup despite limited opportunities, creating his own place by hitting many home runs even with few chances.
Opponents began to guard against Moon Jung-bin as well. His batting average in August was .195 (15 hits in 77 at-bats), and he struggled to rebound even into September before this game. In particular, his bat was dragged by outside low breaking balls, leading to more swings and misses and batted balls out of play. According to Statiz, the Korean baseball statistics site that provides swing-and-miss rates by pitch type, Moon was most vulnerable to outside low pitches, sliders, and changeups.
The player himself knew the cause. Moon admitted, "Since results weren't coming, I think I tried to hit even bad pitches to get results."
He changed his mindset. He accepted that opposing pitchers would avoid confrontations when they feared extra-base hits. Moon explained, "I decided to just let go of bad pitches and try to hit the ones I can hit well, even if it meant taking a strike. That approach seems to have produced results."
The time he spent out of the starting lineup for a while actually turned out to be beneficial. Moon reflected, "Rather than thinking I was benched because I couldn't perform, I thought they were letting me rest more comfortably. At that time, I was doing so poorly and felt like I was burdening the team. Instead, it was a good time where I could rest, think, and improve my condition."
Advice from senior players also lightened his mind. They told him to focus on one necessary hit rather than trying to hit well. Moon said, "I didn't try to get a hit but simply thought, 'I need to hit a sacrifice play,' and that seems to have led to good results."
Coincidentally, his hits that day demonstrated exactly that. Moon launched powerful balls evenly toward left-center field, center field, and right-center field—the areas he considers most ideal. He is one of three right-handed power hitters recognized by Yeom Kyung-yeop (58) as capable of hitting home runs over the outfield fence at Jamsil Baseball Stadium. Manager Yeom has previously identified Moon Jung-bin, Lee Jae-won (27), and Song Chan-ui (27) as players who can hit balls out of the park at Jamsil. Thanks to his natural power, once he makes solid contact, the ball quickly flies near the fence.
Moon said, "When I'm not doing well, most of my hits are pulled to the left side. When I'm doing well, good hits come out toward the center, so I intentionally try to hit that way. It's not really about pulling the ball; I need to hit toward the center to get more barrel hits. Today (the 16th), I hit solidly to right-center, center, and left-center. They weren't all hits, but they became game-winning runs and sacrifice plays, which was great," expressing his satisfaction.
His season statistics are now a .260 batting average (60 hits in 231 at-bats) over 75 games, with 17 home runs, 55 RBIs, a .338 on-base percentage, a .550 slugging percentage, and an OPS of 0.888. He is just three home runs away from reaching 20 in his first full-time season. Song Chan-ui (23) is also continuing a friendly competition with 15 home runs.
However, there is no talk of a home run race between the two. Moon emphasized, "(Song) Chan's older brother and I both don't try to hit home runs. I'm actually trying to make more contact. The home runs are coming as a result of that approach; I'm not trying to hit them."
He has a goal he wants to achieve before reaching 20 home runs. Moon said, "My first goal is to finish the season without getting injured. If I stay healthy, the results will follow. I've never played in autumn baseball, so I'm looking forward to it. Friends who have played tell me it's incredibly fun and full of energy. So I really want to try it once," he smiled brightly.
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*This content was translated by AI.
