Kim “Little Jong-bum” Do-young (20-KIA Tigers) rejoined the first team on March 23 against the Gwangju KT Wiz. He joined the team more than two months after fracturing his left pinky toe while running the bases in the season-opening series.

Since joining the first team, Kim has provided a spark in the offense. In 14 games, he is batting .367 (22-for-60) with two home runs, seven RBIs, seven doubles, and a .930 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) as a table-setter.

The addition of Kim gives KIA some breathing room in their lineup. From his ability to generate long balls to his quick feet and aggressive baserunning, the team is utilizing a variety of offensive routes to climb up the standings.

Kia head coach Kim Jong-kook recently met with the media and said about Kim Do-young’s performance, “Kim Do-young is in good form right now. Once he gets on base, he gives the team more (scoring) options. He has the speed to run and the ability to steal bases if the opponent is prepared. He has the ability to hit the long ball, but he also has the ability to get into scoring position with a single,” he said.

However, he also noted some areas for improvement. In fact, Kim almost made a dizzying mistake. In the top of the eighth inning of a 2-2 tie against KT Suwon on July 7, he reached first base with a surprise bunt. He was thrown out at the plate by reliever Son Dong-hyun, but was ruled safe by video review. After coming back from the dead, Kim immediately stole second base and came home on Choi Hyung-woo’s single to score the game-winning run.

After the game, Kim confessed that he didn’t see the sign. The Kia bench ordered Kim not to run to second base. The opposing catcher was off to the side to prevent a stolen base, and the flow was going to the center field line. But in his excitement, Kim didn’t see the sign and stole second base.스포츠토토

The play resulted in a save and the game-winning run, but the error of not reading the sign was still there. Kim got a bit of a scolding after the game from first base coach Cho Jae-young, as it would have spoiled the excitement.

Kim said a day later (Aug. 8), “We’re still inexperienced and don’t know what the other team is trying to do. He’s in a hurry. It’s his second year, so I can see that. It’s a green light, so you can die (from falls),” he said, explaining his shortcomings.

Inexperience is common among rookies, but it can be resolved naturally with professional experience. That’s why I’m more excited about Kim Do-young. He’s currently putting up impressive performances that make it hard to believe he’s only in his second year as a professional. Many fans are interested to see if he can become a complete player like Lee Jong-beom, a legendary infielder in the club’s history, if he gains the “experience points” that are considered to be somewhat lacking along with his outstanding ability.