A nightmare debut, a pep talk for the baby seagulls…but not for the captain
“It’s a mistake that shouldn’t happen again, and I’m reflecting on it.”
‘Sajik Idol’ It’s a memory that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I made a mistake that I shouldn’t have made as an outfielder.
The Lotte Giants will play the first game of the weekend series against the KIA Tigers at Sajik Stadium in Busan on the 11th.
Before the game, I met with Kim Min-seok, who has been the spearhead of the team’s offense in the second half of the season, batting 3-for-7 with 24 RBIs in 64 at-bats.
The previous day against Kiwoom Heroes was no exception, as he went 2-for-5 with two doubles, one RBI, and one run scored to help his team win.
However, his performance at the plate was forgotten. He committed his first career error. In the bottom of the sixth inning, with Lotte leading 8-6, Kim missed Ki Um Yong-kyu’s routine grounder to center field. His eyes were on the runner, not the ball, before he caught it, and the ball hit Min-seok’s glove and fell to the side. Defense coach Moon Kyu-hyun gave him a stinging reprimand, saying, “You’re not thinking about the next thing when the game isn’t over, so that’s why you made the mistake.”
“I’m just thankful it didn’t come back to bite me. Honestly, I was about to lose my mind, but the seniors took care of me…”
Koo Seung-min struck out the next batter and got out of the inning without allowing a run. It was a happy day for the team as they won the game and clinched the series.
Ahn Kwon-soo patted Kim Min-seok, who had made a mistake, to encourage him. Head coach Lee Jong-woon smiled and hugged him. He said, “It’s okay because everyone makes mistakes. Forget it,” he said warmly.
But captain Ahn Chi-hong was different. 스포츠토토
“If the runner was on third, I’d understand if he was trying to be quick, but he was on first, and that’s a problem. It’s very difficult to catch a runner at first base when you’re the one making the catch. You have to take it slow and take it one by one, but he said you got complacent. I’m really glad we won the game.”
On why he’s been swinging the bat so hard in the second half, Kim said, “I think the experience I gained in the first half is coming out in the game. I didn’t really focus on baseball during the All-Star break. It’s too short a time to refine your hitting form,” he smiled.
“You can’t play the same way for 144 games, so I’m trying different things, and I feel like I’ve settled into the first team a little bit, and I feel like I’ve definitely gotten better, and I’m hoping to use this to show that I’ve gotten better, that I’ve improved.”