Backup second baseman swings way to postseason series MVP award
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Nov. 5 (Yonhap) -- They call him the "man of the autumn," because it's the time of the year when postseason baseball games are played and Oh Jae-won turns into a different hitter.
The 35-year-old backup second baseman for the Doosan Bears was named the MVP of the first-round playoff series in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) on Thursday. The Bears completed their two-game sweep of the LG Twins with a 9-7 victory at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, and Oh drove in two runs for the second straight game.
In Wednesday's 4-0 victory, Oh batted 2-for-3 with two RBIs out of the No. 9 spot. Batting eighth in Game 2, Oh was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored.
He received 53 out of 67 votes cast by media and took home 2 million won (US$1,780) in prize money and a trophy.
Oh only got the start in these two games because the Bears' everyday second baseman, Choi Joo-hwan, was still dealing with effects of plantar fasciitis. During the regular season, Oh bounced between the Bears and their minor league club, while batting just .232 in 85 games -- his lowest total since 2012.
He is a lifetime .269 hitter in the regular season, but he is a .309 hitter in 87 postseason games.
Oh's postseason excellence is hardly news for Bears fans. Last year, Oh batted .164 in 98 regular season games, and then went 5-for-10 with two doubles and three RBIs as the Bears swept the Kiwoom Heroes in four straight games.
In Thursday's victory, Oh drove in the game's first run, with a double to left field in the top of the second inning.
Then with the Bears up 2-0 in the top fourth, Oh stepped in with the runners at the corners against the new pitcher, left-hander Jin Hae-soo. Oh kept the rally going with a base hit to left field that extended the lead to 3-0. The Bears ended up scoring seven runs in that inning.
Doosan manager Kim Tae-hyoung said he put Oh into the lineup mostly for his steady defense and that any offense Oh can provide is a bonus. In these two games, though, Oh led the club with four RBIs.
From the bottom of the order, that's some kind of bonus.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)
-
S. Korea to resume issuing short-term travel visas, e-visas next month
-
(URGENT) Russian, Chinese warplanes enter S. Korea's air defense zone without notice: JCS
-
Multiple Russian, Chinese warplanes enter KADIZ without notice: JCS
-
Premier League Golden Boot winner Son Heung-min receives hero's welcome home
-
(LEAD) At least 8 injured in S-Oil refinery explosion in Ulsan: firefighters
-
S. Korea to resume issuing short-term travel visas, e-visas next month
-
(5th LD) Yoon, Biden agree to expand joint military exercises to cope with N.K. threats
-
(LEAD) Multiple Russian, Chinese warplanes enter KADIZ without notice: JCS
-
(LEAD) At least 8 injured in S-Oil refinery explosion in Ulsan: firefighters
-
(LEAD) Biden set to arrive in S. Korea for first summit with Yoon
-
Multiple Russian, Chinese warplanes enter KADIZ without notice: JCS
-
Premier League Golden Boot winner Son Heung-min receives hero's welcome home
-
(5th LD)N. Korea fires 3 ballistic missiles, including 1 suspected ICBM: S. Korean military
-
(LEAD) Multiple Russian, Chinese warplanes enter KADIZ without notice: JCS
-
(3rd LD) N. Korea fires 3 ballistic missiles toward East Sea: S. Korean military