Regression Meeting and the Lefty Switch
"So, that's why you've been swinging at everything lately?"
The Turkeys' power analysis team leader said with a flustered expression.
"Ah... yeah."
I scratched the back of my head, feeling a bit awkward, and answered accordingly.
"But I had my reasons. I'd been exposed as only able to hit fastballs, so to break out of that, I had to try anything. That's what the hitting coach meant when he said there's no choice but to just hit well in the end."
"Phew... well, that makes sense, I suppose."
The team leader let out a small sigh.
"But! Next time, consult with us first. We might find other ways. Do you know how exponentially your nicknames have multiplied over the past month, Player Kim Hu-seong?"
Oh no... It had been a month and a bit since I'd boldly challenged myself to swing at everything, and a ton of nicknames had popped up for me in that time. I rattled off a few I knew.
"Yeah. Kim Three-Strikes. Kim Empty-Swing. Kim Pop-Fly. Kim Fly. Kim Weak-Fly. Kim Weak-Fly-Three. Kim Windbag. Stuff like that?"
"Yep, you know them well. Looks like you've been ego-surfing a bit."
"No, people keep teasing me with them."
"Ahem. I see. Anyway, we should've talked more before."
The team leader sounded a little aggrieved.
"Of course, most of Player Kim Hu-seong's lefty at-bats have been unique cases, making them hard to analyze, but baseball history is long, so there are similar examples."
I nodded and glanced around. The Turkeys' hitting coach, manager, and chief coach were all here too. We'd gathered because my stats had plummeted over the past month. Hence the heavy atmosphere.
Manager Kim Young-ho tapped the table once with his finger and asked, "So, how do we revive this kid?"
The team leader took a breath, looked down at his laptop screen, and fiddled with some numbers. Then he looked up and spoke.
"First off, one fact we need to note: Player Kim Hu-seong's stats aren't actually bad right now."
"What? Not bad? Then why are we all here having a meeting?"
The hitting coach furrowed his brow slightly.
"Ah! It's because the visible drops and optics are bad, but it's not the worst. Of course, that's why we're not at crisis level yet."
Noticing the expression, the team leader clarified more sharply.
"The reason it feels like his performance has tanked enough for a meeting is the string of strikeouts and pop flies that stick in people's minds. That's where the nicknames come from too. But if he were truly collapsing, the core metrics would tank across the board, and they haven't. There's still a recoverable foundation."
The team leader showed some key figures.
"Batting average has definitely dropped, no question. It was mid-.300s through April, but now heading into July, it's mid-to-late .200s, so everyone's worried. Strikeout rate is high too, and pitches per plate appearance is a low average of 3. That's a big weakness."
Everyone nodded grimly, as it was something we all felt.
Ugh... The analysis digging into me hurt, so I turned my head away briefly. It stung a lot, honestly.
"But some things are holding steady: slugging percentage and OPS. Average dipped, but OPS hasn't crashed. Why? Because the balls Player Kim Hu-seong hits usually go near the walls. That's why so many fly outs."
He showed an unusual stat at the same time.
"Player Kim Hu-seong's righty swings typically trace parabolas or line drives. Very ideal. And since his speed isn't slow, he racks up extra-base hits. In May and June combined, his hits went doubles > triples > homers > singles—an incredibly weird stat line."
"Hmm..."
"Ho."
The coaches looked intrigued as they checked it out.
"Not bad, right? So we start from here. How did he produce that? The common thread in Player Kim Hu-seong's hits: Incheon Cranes, Suwon Egrets, Daegu Eagles, Changwon Larus."
At the team leader's words, the hitting coach spoke up as something clicked.
"All hitter-friendly parks?"
"Exactly. His strategy has been working. Where? In hitter-friendly parks. The problem is..."
"Hmm... there are more pitcher-friendly ones?"
"Yes."
Ah...
"Daejeon McPhies' park is neutral, but he failed at Jamsil Falcons, Eulji Crows, Gwangju Pigeons, Busan Siguls, and our own Gocheok Turkeys home. That's why the stats dipped. Worst part? Our home park, with the most games, is pitcher-friendly."
"So what do we do? Season's underway, can't pull the fences in just for Hu-seong."
"Yes, Manager. Unavoidable. So now, focus on producing in pitcher-friendly parks."
The team leader glanced at the hitting coach.
"My thought: In pitcher-friendly parks, lead with lefty."
"Lefty?"
"You mentioned considering switching Player Kim Hu-seong back to lefty before?"
"We did. But we need to check his condition..."
"Can Player Kim Hu-seong still cut on pitches now?"
Hmm...
"Gotta try, but... I think he can."
"Then that's a solid option. Keep cutting to draw walks or IBbs."
"But Hu-seong can't steal anymore?"
"Better than outs."
Manager Kim Young-ho nodded.
"Makes sense. What do you all think?"
"Sounds good."
"Me too."
The chief coach and hitting coach nodded.
"Hu-seong, you?"
My answer was set. With my slump, what could I say?
"Sounds good to me too..."
"Good. But! With his speed to first completely dead, lefty is a double-play machine if there's a runner on. Switch to righty then."
"Perfect. That's the plan."
The atmosphere at Gwangju Pigeons Stadium was exceptionally lively. The stands were nearly full before the first pitch, and the cheering squad was prepping their gear to run.
Just facing the Gocheok Turkeys had the air buzzing. Last year, they'd pounded us repeatedly, but this season the vibes were reversed.
We'd been swept in the opener, thinking we'd flop again, but we'd swept them back since, breeding confidence that we had the edge now.
At the center of that confidence was starter Im Jong-hyeon.
Im Jong-hyeon was loose the whole bullpen session. When catcher Choi Woo-seong adjusted his mask and asked how he'd attack today, Im shrugged.
"What do you mean? Same as always. No Jeong Hyeon-hun, and Kim Hu-seong's easy pickings now. Nothing tough."
But when the lineup dropped, that nonchalance cracked ever so slightly.
Seeing the opposing lineup, Im squinted to double-check.
"What? Kim Hu-seong's leading off?"
Catcher Choi Woo-seong chuckled it off.
"What, like a power leadoff or something?"
Im nodded slowly, but his gut churned. He played it cool.
"Maybe? Hmm... We'll see once it starts."
He swallowed his unease and waited for the game.
Then in the top of the first, as the leadoff hitter strolled to the plate, that unease proved justified.
Kim Hu-seong ambled casually to the box, way too relaxed. Not the vibe of a slumping player.
What's with that confidence?
And soon, he knew why.
Lefty stance.
> Huh...? Player Kim Hu-seong's batting lefty?
> First time in ages leading off, and he's back to lefty. Probably due to the recent slump.
Im's throat went dry in an instant.
Against righty Kim Hu-seong, he'd been a total predator. Mixing slow fastballs with curves and sliders had crushed him easily.
But lefty flipped the matchup. Last year, he'd painfully learned his best pitches didn't work on lefty Kim Hu-seong.
Damn...
Kim Hu-seong stepped in with a smug grin, like he was flaunting his lefty side.
Im took a deep breath from the start.
Still, maybe. He's been righty a while—lefty timing might be off.
For safety, first pitch: middle of the zone. Slow fastball. Honest strike.
Kim didn't twitch.
"Strike."
...
Second pitch: inside the zone, low. Curve that still caught the zone.
Kim just watched.
No wobble in the box.
Haa... no way...
Two strikes, but Im grew more frantic.
Third: slider breaking outside. Lure pitch.
It grazed the zone and broke away.
Then Kim poked the bat out. No power swing. Just to make contact.
Tok!
Dead on. The ball rolled toward third, hugging the foul line out.
"Foul."
> Contact, but foul.
> Ah~! That's the flavor. Great pitch, but Player Kim Hu-seong fouls it off.
> Im Jong-hyeon's face stiffened. Flashback city—Kim Hu-seong tormented him bad.
In that moment, Im felt the chill down his neck for sure.
The annoying Kim Hu-seong was back.