Now, every on-base hit is history. He has already embarked on a great journey, matching the legendary players. This is Hong Chang-ki, a 31-year-old LG outfielder who is challenging to achieve the highest on-base hit rate in his career.먹튀검증
On the 21st, a new No. 1 player was engraved in the history of the KBO League. As Hong Chang-ki has played more than 3,000 at-bats, he has ranked first in on-base percentage (0.430 as of 22nd). He has jumped to the starting lineup since 2020 and has already won two on-base titles, at the peak. It is Hong Chang-ki, who is higher than Jang Hyo-jo (0.427), Yang Joon-hyuk (0.421) and Kim Tae-kyun (0.421).
“I actually didn’t know that. I knew that they were included in the on-base percentage list,” Hong said after the game against Doosan Bears in Jamsil on Tuesday. “They are all seniors who made a mark. They were ranked No. 1, but I think they just made it for a short time. It’s an honor to be named together.”
Hong Chang-ki, who said, “I’m especially happy that I was mentioned with Jang Hyo-jo,” said, “As I set the direction toward contact, I learned how amazing Jang Hyo-jo is. He is a person who always comes out when you make contact after hitting 30 percent consistently. I watched it on YouTube and TV, and he was sure of the strike zone and the contact was really good.”
Hong played on the third base as if celebrating his own record on the day. He had two hits and one walk from four times at bat. This is a familiar record for Hong and a record that allowed him to stand at the peak. Usually, leadoff aims to have one hit and one walk on the second base before a game, but this is not enough for Hong. Based on five at-bats, the second base has an on-base percentage of 0.400, which is worse than usual for Hong.
In other words, his future goal could be to have the third base, rather than the second base. “When it comes to on-base percentage, confidence and anxiety coexist,” Hong said. “A good on-base percentage gives me confidence, but when the season starts, I feel anxious about whether I will be able to have another high on-base percentage. I always come across confidence and anxiety.”
“I don’t care about the on-base percentage during a game. I just think about going out to bat every time. I have to go out as much as possible to be helpful to my team. I try to play as much as I can,” he said. “I still have a lot of days to play baseball, so I don’t know about the on-base percentage when I retire. I think we can see it later. Still, I want to be in the top 20.”
Contact and vision are in perfect harmony. With a batting average of 0.333 and an on-base percentage of 0.445, his third on-base hit is just around the corner, and he is ranking sixth in the batting average category as well. He does not just aim for walks, but when he needs to, he proactively attacks from the first pitch and hits.
In the moment when he was confident, he was given the right to score, not his first at-bat in the first inning. “I feel more comfortable in scoring than in the first at-bat in the first inning. Whenever I come to the batter’s box with a play ball, I always think about whether I should aim at the first pitch or just watch the ball. I pay a lot of attention to getting on the base as the first batter in the first inning can change the atmosphere of the game,” Hong said. “There are many ways to get an RBI in the first inning. I think it is better than my first at-bat because I only have to focus on contact.”
This is not an empty promise. Hong has a batting average of 0.392 in scoring capacity this season, followed by 0.426, that of SSG Guillermo Herredia. LG’s most reliable scoring formula is that the bottom hitter creates a chance and Hong Chang-ki, the top hitter, solves it. The batting average in scoring capacity in September is 0.538. He is widely active as a chance maker and troubleshooter during the most important period.
Hong Chang-ki said, “The regular season is just around the corner. This year, we will start the postseason right away, and I think a good batting performance will work to my advantage. I will prepare for the postseason while maintaining my confidence.”