Expectations are high for the firepower confrontation between foreign batters of the same age as ‘KBO experienced’.
KT Wiz and Kiwoom Heroes will face off in the 2023 professional baseball demonstration game held at Gocheok Sky Dome on the 13th.
KT wiz and Kiwoom recruited players with KBO experience as foreign hitters for the 2023 season. Since the foreign hitters on both teams have no problems adapting to the league, attention is focused on how they will perform from the demonstration game.
kt wiz renewed the contract with foreign hitter Anthony Alford (28, outfielder), who was with them last season. Alford joined in mid-June last year as a substitute for Henry Ramos. In 80 games in the 2022 season, he recorded 81 hits in 283 at-bats, 14 homers, 50 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.871, showing a fierce sense of hitting.
However, Alford showed weakness in contact. According to the baseball statistics site Statties, Alford’s contact rate is 67.2%, which is the lowest among batters outside the 10 clubs. It is 21.3% different from Fernandez of Doosan (88.5%), who is in first place.
Alford was evaluated for playing the role of a central hitter despite his low contact rate. A center hitter needs extra long hit production ability to allow a leading runner to score. Alford’s slugging power can be confirmed through the hitting indicator. The tendency of batting balls to focus on fly balls rather than long ground balls is advantageous for making long hits. 토토사이트
Alford had a FO/GO ratio of 1.49, higher than the KBO league average of 0.94. 60.1% of the balls hit the outfield as well. This batting style was suitable for producing long hits. Despite joining the team in the middle of the season, Alford hit 14 home runs, ranking third on the team behind Park Byeong-ho (35) and Jang Seong-woo (18). The wRC+ (adjusted scoring production) was also above average at 139.7 (league average of 100).
Alford was also excellent at deciding where to win. WPA (Win Probability Contribution) ranked at the top of the team with 2.04, and WAR (Win Contribution to Win over Substitute) was 2.47, fulfilling his role as a main player.
Rather than risking the recruitment of foreign batters in the 2023 season, kt wiz chose a sense of stability while working with the proven Alford. Attention is focusing on whether Alford, who has just entered his second season in the KBO, will be able to repay his trust with consistent performance.