The first chapter of ‘Moon Kim Daejeon’ has passed. The match between Hanwha and KIA held at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on the 6th drew keen attention from baseball fans with only the ‘first meeting’ between the two stars. In that heat, Hanwha starter Moon Dong-ju (20) and KIA infielder Kim Do-young (20) shone in their respective positions.
Born in 2003, both from Gwangju, Moon Dong-ju and Kim Do-young, both of the same age, stepped into the pros side by side through the first nominations for the 2022 KBO League rookie draft. Moon Dong-ju, who graduated from Gwangju Jinheung High School, was recognized for his talent as a pitcher early on by throwing fastballs of over 150 km/h from his amateur days. Kim Do-yeong, who graduated from Dongseong High School in the same area, also showed off his versatile potential in batting, base running, and defense to the extent that he was called ‘the second Lee Jong-beom’.
The narrative between these two has been written naturally since the rookie draft. Since Gwangju produced a promising pitcher who would lead the league in the future at the same time, KIA, which had priority in naming the hometown at the time, had to worry too much. KIA’s choice was Kim Do-young, and Moon Dong-ju, who was nominated by Hanwha, left Gwangju and settled in Daejeon.
Both Moon Dong-ju and Kim Do-young reached their potential this year, entering their second year as pros, and the story of these two has also progressed. Moon Dong-ju started 19 games this season and recorded 6 wins (7 losses) and an average ERA of 3.39, serving as the ace of Hanwha’s domestic starters. Kim Do-young couldn’t play many games due to a toe injury at the beginning of the season, but as soon as he returned to the first team, he wielded hard hits every day. He participated in 29 games this season and recorded a batting average of 0.328, OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.860, 2 homers, and 11 stolen bases, giving vitality to the KIA lineup.안전놀이터
The confrontation between young talents in itself deserved attention from baseball fans, and the two showed an activity that lived up to the fans’ expectations. Moon Dong-ju threw 91 pitches, including 51 curveballs (27) and sliders (13), including 51 balls with a maximum speed of 159km per hour, on this day, throwing 2 runs (1 earned) in 5.1 innings. Kim Do-young, who played as the third batter, ran all over the ground with 1 hit in 4 at-bats, 2 walks and 2 stolen bases. Hanwha and KIA couldn’t decide the winner until the 12th inning and recorded a 4-4 draw.
The confrontation between Moon Dong-ju and Kim Do-young was a slight advantage for Moon Dong-ju, who allowed no hits and 1 walk in 2 at-bats. In the bottom of the first inning, Dong-Ju Moon stopped Kim Do-Young right in front of the shortstop in the bottom of the first inning, and in the bottom of the fourth, Do-Young Kim, who came out as the lead batter, caught a floating ball in right field. In the bottom of the 6th inning, Kim Do-young calmly picked Moon Dong-joo’s 7th pitch and made a counterattack, surviving with a walk.
Moon Dong-ju and Kim Do-young stood on the mound and at the plate in the beginning of the first inning, looking at each other and smiling lightly. Even in a situation where the fans’ interest might feel burdened, the two did not lose their composure and competed in good faith. This is why the next story of ‘Moon Kim Daejeon’ is expected.