Ryu Ji-hyuk (29, Samsung) had a ‘goodbye’ to KIA. He looks good in the blue uniform.
Internally, Samsung is quite happy with the signing of Ryu Ji-hyuk. They lost reserve free agent Kim Tae-gun to KIA, but that could be an incentive for their young catchers. Instead, Ryu Ji-hyuk was brought in to fill the void left by Lee Won-seok (Kiwoom) and use his multi-positional skills to fill in for the injured Oh Jae-il.
Park Jin-man said that Ryu is a good RBI producer apart from his average. The Samsung batting lineup is still unsatisfactory in clutch situations. Even if Ryu doesn’t completely solve the problem, he should help to some extent. And if he can lead the young infielders as well as he did at KIA, there’s not much more to ask for.
It was a big deal that Kim Tae-gun completely melted into KIA in a day or two. However, Ryu Ji-hyuk seems to have settled in already, and he is known for his leadership and caring for those around him. There’s no way Samsung doesn’t know about his good reputation.
On the 12th, during his first visit to Gwangju, Ryu Ji-hyuk bowed to the KIA fans and greeted the Tigers fans for the last time. He made several 90-degree gestures toward the infield stands in the direction of KIA’s third base, and KIA fans responded with applause and cheers.
Kia even threw in a surprise. The pregame gift and bouquet ceremony wasn’t the only part of the event, as Ryu’s first at-bat of the day was accompanied by the same cheer from his time at KIA. According to Samsung officials, Ryu still doesn’t have a cheer or theme song at Samsung. KIA was very considerate of him. They played only one verse of Ryu Ji-hyuk’s cheer, which is no longer available. Kia officials laughed and said it was a “small gesture.” Kia fans also sang along to Ryu’s cheer for the moment.
Ryu went 0-for-4 in the 12th game. On the 13th, however, he went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs to help his hometown Kia win their seventh straight game. While Kim Tae-gun went 0-for-2 on the day, Ryu Ji-hyeok made his presence felt and contributed to David Buchanan’s complete game victory. After Buchanan’s complete game victory, Ryu Ji-hyuk congratulated him with a heartfelt congratulations, making him a true Samsung man.스포츠토토
Samsung finished the first half in last place. They need to find some kind of momentum in the second half. Ryu Ji-hyuk must be a part of that. He can do that. His post-transfer stats are 22-for-22 with four homers, three doubles, six RBIs, and one stolen base in six games. He said goodbye to KIA, and now, as a Samsung man, he has a huge responsibility to lead a second-half comeback. It’s not just about the numbers, it’s about being a lubricant on and off the field. That’s what Ryu Ji-hyuk did at KIA.