What kind of number 4 batter are you?”
It was from the time of Nexen that Byeong-ho Park (KT) heard the sound of the ‘National Geopo’. From joining LG in 2005 to going to the Heroes right before the trade deadline in 2010, Park Byung-ho’s baseball life was in the dark. As Park Byeong-ho achieved great success at Nexen and advanced to the major leagues, he was put on the list of effects for ‘Leaving Rats’.
Then, why did Park Byeong-ho fail at LG? There were 스포츠토토complex reasons. Coach Yeom Gyeong-yeop, who returned to LG after retiring as a front desk and coach, passed through Nexen and SK, and returned to LG before the exhibition game against KIA in Gwangju on the 21st, “I am not able to hit number 4 yet, but I took full responsibility in number 4.” said.
Coach Yeom Gyeong-yeop looked back and said that he did not gain anything by forcefully using a player whose mechanics and routines he emphasized on all players was not properly established as the most important number 4 hitter in the team. Manager Yeom said, “That’s why I heard people say, ‘What kind of 4th hitter are you?’ Chance is supposed to take a lot of 4 times, but Byeong-ho didn’t have the ability to solve it at that time. When he’s ready, he has to go to that position.”
LG’s painful case of Park Byeong-ho’s failure was summarized as the result of overlooking the essence of nurturing: ‘success experience’ and ‘mental fight’. Director Yeom believes that the chance of success increases only when coaches and coaches train in a planned way. He said, “Even when Byeong-ho came to Nexen, he went back and forth at number 6 and 4 at first, and later became a hitter at number 4.”
Of course, the approach of Lee Jae-won, a big gun prospect who he decided to foster and even refused to enlist in the military, is also detailed. Manager Yeom said, “From the Scottsdale spring camp, I will place Lee Jae-won and Park Dong-won in the bottom lineup and focus on synergy with the top lineup. It means that the long hit of the two will be considered as a bonus.
That thought still remains. Director Yeom said, “Jaewon is number 8.” Lee Jae-won is not ready for number 4, and plans to gradually increase the batting order if there are results after digesting the game casually in number 8. Even Director Yeom said, “I don’t even expect this year. I have no expectations, but I have a strong desire to succeed. He is giving the player confidence, saying, ‘You will be fine’.”
As the starting first baseman, he is preparing Song Chan-eui and Kim Min-seong as first basemen in preparation for prolonged growing pains. It’s plan B. Director Yeom said, “If the wound is too severe, it will not recover, so you can take it off for a while. Baseball is a mental game. The important thing is to have a plan and nurture it. There are no players who are vaguely nurtured.”
Now that he has a thorough plan, he wants to shorten the time to success by reducing the growing pains. Director Yeom said, “If you make it to some extent within two years, it is a good thing. If it happens in 4-5 years, it should be seen as a big thing through the experience of the coaching staff, not the coaching staff. At least within three years, you have to make it to the main level or higher.”
I have a firm desire to grow Lee Jae-won into a key hitter who represents Korean baseball, beyond being the team’s number 4 hitter like Park Byung-ho. Manager Yeom, who has a good eye for players, is convinced that Jae-Won Lee has enough qualities to be such a good player.
Lee Jae-won has not played in the demonstration game yet due to a side injury during the spring camp. He joined the current team and is expected to play in around 5 games.