Last year, Lotte, who was worried about DJ Peters’ falling contact, eventually changed a foreign batter. The same outfielder, but with a slightly different type, Jack Rex (30) was recruited. He was a winning player for Lotte, who could no longer see the decline in offensive power.메이저사이트 주소
He ultimately didn’t make it to the postseason, but Lotte’s replacement itself was a success. In 56 games of the season, Rex solved the worries of foreign batters by making a big success with a batting average of 0.330, 8 home runs, 34 RBIs, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.906. His scoring production was over 50% better than league average. As a substitute, it was great. He was a rare type of contact and long hitter at the same time.
Such Lotte negotiated with Rex to renew the contract, and signed a contract for a total of 1.3 million dollars (down payment of 200,000 dollars, annual salary of 1 million dollars, and incentives of 100,000 dollars). The guaranteed amount alone was $1.2 million. At the time, this decision attracted a lot of attention in the industry. It is true that Rex did a good job, but for a substitute foreign player who played half a season, it is an unexpectedly large salary.
In fact, it is difficult to find a foreign hitter who plays half a season in the current KBO league and earns an annual salary of more than $1.3 million. Anthony Alford (kt), who came in earlier than Rex and played 80 games, received an annual salary of 1 million dollars, much less than Rex. It means that Lotte needed Rex and had confidence in his skills. However, when I opened the lid, I was struggling with injuries and sluggishness.
Rex has a bad right knee. Due to his knee problem, he also went on the injured list from May 17–26. Even after his comeback, he still manages and runs. The knee is a very important part for maintaining a hitter’s balance. The right knee takes more power because it has to support the weight momentarily when hitting a left-handed hitter. If the right knee is not good, it cannot be a normal hit.
Rex’s performance this season has been poor, perhaps because of that problem. He has a batting average of 0.243 in 41 games for the season. His batting average has dropped significantly from last year. He only has 2 home runs here as well. His OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) plummeted to 0.675. The appearance of the bat being pushed often comes out, and the number of strikeouts has increased. The timing is a bit late, but we can deduce the problem on the right knee side.
The problem isn’t just hitting. In Rex’s hitting index, there are actually several things worth looking forward to. The average exit velocity is not much different from last year, and the average launch angle is the same. It is difficult to find a significant difference from last year in the rate of fast hits of 165km or more per hour. On the contrary, he chooses the ball more carefully, and miss swings are reduced, and the pioneer is still alive. It’s just not getting it right at the right time. This can be improved little by little if the knee problem is resolved to some extent.
Rather, the problem is more in the defense. You can often see him not being able to boldly quit his dash. On the 18th, against SSG Incheon, in the 3rd inning, Choi Ji-hoon’s powerless left fielder dropped the ball while looking at it. It may be that the batting ball was not judged properly, but I was not able to dash boldly from the start. Eventually, at the last moment, he gave up the ball. It became a hit that would be out with the so-called ‘ramen defense’. This reveals that there are problems with Rex’s current knee condition, overall lower body condition, and psychological condition.
The hit has plenty of room to survive, but in a defense where you have to use your strength and run in an instant, one crucial mistake can ruin the game. Lotte is already worried about the athletic ability and defensive power of a single spot in the outfield. Putting in Jeon Jun-woo is a bit disappointing in the defensive power. If you put in another player for defense, the attack power drops. Even Ahn Kwon-soo is out with an injury. The range of cards that can be used is also not wide.메이저놀이터
The best case scenario is for Rex to play the center hitter role while watching the defense in good health. However, the current knee condition has a part that cannot be guaranteed. Lotte is no longer a rebuilding team. This year, it is a team that needs to run for the top 5 or better. If there is certainty that Rex’s knee will recover, it would be the best case scenario, but as the certainty decreases, the time for decision will eventually come.