The San Diego Union-Tribune, a prominent local media outlet in San Diego, shared a funny story from the day before (23rd). San Diego won 6-2 against Miami at Petco Park on the 22nd. Kim Ha-seong, 28, was at the centre of it all.
카지노사이트 Once again, Kim led off the game with a double in the first inning. It was a crucial double to revive the team’s spirits after dropping a crucial doubleheader to Arizona on the 20th. He then stole second, moved to third and scored on Machado’s sacrifice fly. It was an energetic play that set the tone at Petco Park. San Diego was starting to find its rhythm.
In his second at-bat of the inning, he hit his first major league home run, a grand slam, to put the game out of reach. It was a blast worthy of his bobblehead giveaway series. He also made history as the first player in San Diego franchise history to hit a home run, a double, and a stolen base in the same game.
The Dodgers snapped a three-game losing streak and took a breather, thanks in large part to Kim’s big game and a strong outing from starter Michael Wacha. It was also important for them to catch Miami, who were ahead of them in the National League Wild Card race.
An hour after the game, a Miami player appeared in the hallway leading to the San Diego clubhouse, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Due to the size of major league stadiums, the distance between home and away clubhouses is usually quite large. Like dugout locations, they are end-to-end. It’s rare for an away player to appear in the home hallway unless there’s a special occasion.
The San Diego Union-Tribune described him as “loudly and with fake anger greeting Kim in the hallway at Petco Park”. The Miami player in this situation was Ryan Weathers, 24, but Kim had a reason not to like the fake outrage. There was a story. It was a visit from Weathers’ family and a reunion with old teammates.
Kim’s walk-off home run lifted San Diego out of the doldrums ⓒYonhap/AP
Kim’s grand slam heats up Petco Park
Ryan Weathers was unable to stop Kim and suffered an early exit.
Weathers was once a highly touted prospect in San Diego. He was one of the best pitchers in the country in high school. He was a big-bodied, left-handed pitcher with a fastball and good hand feel.
Weathers began his professional career as a first-round (seventh overall) pick of San Diego in the 2018 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. It was a prized top pick after the humiliation of a last-place season, and San Diego pampered Weathers with it. After a steady progression through the minor leagues, Weathers was hailed as an “instant powerhouse” and made his dream major league debut in 2021. He was 22 years old. He debuted earlier than his peers.
San Diego saw him as the future of their starting staff. They believed he had the potential to develop into a complete starter. His slider, which averaged 94 mph, paired with his hard fastball, was a definite plus, and he went on to pitch 94⅔ innings in 30 games (18 starts) in 2021. For a rookie season, he got plenty of work. With a 4-7 record and a 5.32 ERA, you could take comfort in the fact that it was a tax on a better future.
But it didn’t go much further than that. In 2022, he appeared in just one game. It wasn’t that he suffered any major injuries, but he just didn’t have the stuff to make it in the majors. More than anything, his command was too shaky. With a district title on the line, San Diego was not a team that could afford to wait for Weathers to get his pitches in the zone. After a year of adjustments in the minors, the problem was not resolved this year.
We gave him a spot with high hopes, but it didn’t work out, and he ended up being traded. Determined to see out the season without becoming a “seller” in the trade market, San Diego traded Weathers to Miami just before the deadline. The prized prospect was a prized commodity, but the team was more interested in Garrett Cooper, who would provide immediate offensive production at first base. Miami got Weathers to bolster their already acclaimed young starting rotation.
Weathers, who has been circling the starting rotation since the trade, faced his hometown team and former teammates at Petco Park, a place where nostalgia still reigns supreme. While many fans greeted Weathers with encouraging applause, he did not perform well. In 3⅓ innings, he gave up five runs on five hits (one home run) with five walks and four strikeouts. He gave up three consecutive walks before giving up a grand slam to Ha-Sung Kim in the second inning.
Ryan Weathers with the San Diego Padres.
Weathers in 2021. Kim Ha-seong (left) is next to him.
Kim celebrates his home run off his former teammate Weathers ⓒYonhap/AP
Speaking to local media after the game, Weathers said, “It was a lot of nerves, a lot of unfamiliarity. It’s been 20 days, three weeks since I was traded. Today was an emotional day. It was a weird start. I was drafted when I was 18, I played here for two and a half years, I’ve been in the organisation for six years. It wasn’t easy to hide my emotions today,” he admitted.
Eventually, nerves got the better of him and he gave up a walk and a single to Kim Ha-seong. In fact, the home run wasn’t even a mistake. It was a 96.6-mph (155.4-kilometre) fastball close to the body in a favourable 2S count. It was a commendable pitch, but Kim’s swing turned sharply, and before he could dig in further, he pulled the ball out and over the left field fence.
“I would have liked to have been a little more aggressive,” Weathers said. If I hadn’t walked three guys, it would have been a solo home run instead of four runs.” “I pitched to my spots. He (Kim) is a good player. He made a good swing.”
Although Weathers and Kim are different ages, they will both make their team debuts in 2021. So there is a connection. The San Diego Union-Tribune also reported that “Weathers cited Ha-Sung Kim as one of his favourite players among his San Diego teammates.” It was because of this relationship that he went down to the hallway and gave him a “grumpy” look. I’m sure Kim had some words of encouragement for Weathers. The competition is fierce, but so is the friendship afterwards.
Kim Ha-sung became the hero of Petco Park on the 22nd ⓒYonhap/AP