Lee Jung Hoo is better than expected

English audio above. Korean audio below.

Lee Jung Hoo, after a shortened season in 2024, is performing at a higher level than anyone has ever expected. In the first 17 games of the season, he is hitting .338, has scored 19 runs, stolen 3 bases, and has 14 RBIs. While hitting 3 homers, he has hit 10 doubles, tying the Giants’ record for the most doubles in a 17-game span—a feat Frankie Frisch achieved in 1926, when the Giants were still located in New York.

Lee seems to be continuing his ideal playing performance during his KBO career, in which he had a career BA of .304 in 884 games.

I have always speculated about how good Lee Jung Hoo would be before he arrived in the United States to join the Giants. The reason is his work ethic and plate discipline. He’s also the son of a KBO legend, Lee Jong-beom. 

In only his second year, he has already tied a record that stood for 99 years. Now, with all the confidence, if he continues to play well throughout half the season, he will be an all-star. Fans would have no choice but to vote him in.

In the April 15th game against the Philadelphia Phillies, a flyball from Kyle Schwarber, which Lee easily fielded, became an effortless out at second when Bryce Harper was tagged for the attempted steal. Why did I mention this? I brought this up to emphasize the importance of awareness. Some outfielders would have been caught off guard by Harper's attempted steal because, during a routine fly ball, most runners on first base wouldn’t even consider stealing. That is a sign of a special kind of player. His field awareness, space coverage, and speed are superb. He may be the best outfielder in the league right now. I know it sounds like a stretch, but he’s a Gold Glover. It would be a surprise if he doesn’t win a Gold Glove sometime in his career.

What’s even more impressive is Lee’s ability to slug, posting an OPS of 1.042 at the time of this article. It’s utterly incredible. He put on an absolute show against the Yankees in New York. His performance makes one wonder: What if Lee ended up signing with the Yankees? There was talk in baseball circles that the Yankees may have been interested, but nothing came to light about any serious consideration from the organization. 

The San Francisco Giants are winning. As they continue to win, more people will know Lee Jung Hoo and fall in love with his brand of baseball.

<-------Read Previous Lee Jung Hoo article