# Hanwha, who is young and has a lot of potential, will take a big starting point from now on

However, the big success story shows that the ML career is not everything. Erik Thames, the most foreign hitter in history, was an outfielder who did not settle down in the ML until he joined the NC Dinosaurs in 2014. Despite his potential, his career in the big leagues and minor leagues were not significant.


In 2013, before joining Korea, Thames posted a batting average of 0.283 OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.799 in 98 games. He had 10 homers and eight stolen bases. In terms of numbers, he could not guarantee success in Korea.

What NC paid attention to at the time was his age. At the age of 26, he was a young foreign player who looked to Asia. Thames also wanted stability rather than change his uniform while going back and forth between the ML and the minor leagues throughout the season.

That's how the myth was made. Thames had a batting average of 0.349 with 124 homers and 64 steals, and an OPS of 1.172 in 390 games during the three years in Korea from 2014 to 2016. In 2015, he became the MVP with 47 homers and 40 steals, achieving the first great 40s and 40s in the KBO league. In 2017, he signed an ML guarantee contract, which resulted in a reverse export case.

So is Merrill Kelly, who once played as an ace for the SK Wyverns and now leads the ML Arizona starting lineup. He was a 26-year-old starting pitcher who never took the mound in a big league when he first joined the SK Wyverns in 2015. After spending four years in Korea, his skills have improved every year, and over the past five years, he has won 48 games and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.80.

Thames and Kelly are seen in the lineup of foreigners at the Hanwha Eagles this season. Jonathan Peraza, a new foreign hitter, is 26 years old, while Ricardo Sanchez, a second-year foreign pitcher, is 27. Both of them were growing up in the Minor League before crossing the Pacific Ocean. Peraza's slugging power has increased every year in the Minor League, and left-handed fire bowler Sanchez was nearing the end of his starting class.

In other words, both players can display their best potential in Korea and spend their best days there. It is better to have as much as that. Peraza is a switch heater with both strong and pioneering eyes. Fastball pitcher Sanchez also has a command to put his fastball into the corner of the strike zone. He is not a complete type, but there is a good chance that he will grow day by day.

Sanchez, who showed ups and downs last year, said, "I felt a lot of shortcomings last year. I felt that I needed to prepare better this year. In fact, I paid a lot of attention to creating a body that can complete a perfect season," and added, "I think this is the secret to consistently throwing more than 150 kilometers. That's how hard I worked out with Lee Ji-pung, the training coach." If the ups and downs are reduced, Sanchez is not short of commanding the KBO League.

Korean players in their 20s also have unlimited potential. Starting with Noh Si-hwan and Moon Dong-ju, Kim Seo-hyun, Hwang Joon-seo, Moon Hyun-bin, and Jung Min-gyu, who returned from military service in November, are the best players in their 20s regardless of pitching and hitting.

If the result comes out, it would be perfect. If the team continues to win, it will accelerate its growth. Right now, the blueprint for growth by winning this season can become a reality.

BY: **[토토사이트](https://www.sportstotolink.com)**