The Doosan Bears finished the first half of the year with an undefeated record in nine games in July. The Bears are having a great All-Star break, moving up from sixth place (33-1) to third place (42-1) in the standings. The team’s perfect two-hit balance in July, leading the league in ERA (1.76) and batting average (0.299), speaks volumes about how scary Doosan’s momentum is.온라인바카라

But there’s still a question in the back of my mind. If they want to continue their momentum in the second half of the season, they’ll need consistent performances from their core bats. This is why all eyes will be on Kim Jae-hwan (35) and Jose Rojas (30), who left a bit to be desired in the first half. With Jeong Soo-bin, Yang Yang-ji, and Yang Suk-hwan still healthy, their return to form could be devastating for the batting lineup.

Kim Jae-hwan played in 77 games in the first half of the season, batting .240 (60-for-250) with seven home runs and 29 RBIs. His on-base percentage of .355 was respectable, but his lack of a trademark home run was frustrating. Considering his position as a consistent No. 4 hitter, this was a disappointing performance.

However, his ability to produce long balls at any time still gives opposing batters a lot of confidence in him. That’s why Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop continues to have faith in him. “I know that Kim Jae-hwan has been working hard,” Lee said, emphasizing that the Doosan batting lineup doesn’t mean much without him. Now it’s Kim’s turn to respond.

Rojas has been a sore spot in the Doosan batting order. He was touted as a spray heater with long-range power, but he hit just .222 (45-for-203) with 10 home runs and 33 RBIs in 65 games in the first half. While he showed some power, he struggled to adjust to a changeup that dropped like a bell and was sent to the second team.

Fortunately, he showed signs of life in the final 10 games of the first half, batting .387 (12-for-31) with six RBIs. His systematic work with second base coach Lee Jung-hoon and hitting coach Lee Young-soo to improve his weaknesses is paying off. “It’s our job to keep an eye on Rojas until he steadily improves, so he can stand up to the plate in a good mood,” Lee said.