Yeom Kyung-yeop, manager of the LG Twins in the professional baseball league, said in an interview with reporters ahead of the Daejeon Hanwha match on the 13th, even before the question came out. He was impressed by the senior players’ performance in the process of winning the 4-3 walk-off victory against Jamsil NC on the 11th, the previous game.메이저놀이터
When the game was tied at 1-1, LG allowed two runs due to an error in the top of the ninth inning. With runners on the second and third bases with two outs, Koo Bon-hyuk (27) missed NC`s ground ball to the front. He failed to hit the bound, and had to physically block the ball that bounced to the side, but he failed to do so. Koo is known for his good defense, but made a ridiculous error due to an ordinary hit. Anyone can make mistakes, but it was fatal to have the ball come out when the game was tied at the top of the ninth inning.
However, LG soon chased Austin Dean with a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, and won the game 4-3 with Moon Bo-kyung’s double and Park Dong-won’s walk to the left field with runners on the first and second bases with two outs. Koo Bon-hyuk, who was watching the game nervously at the dugout, was the first to run to Park Dong-won and share a big hug.
The team came from behind to win the game 4-3, but Yeom must have looked even better in the dugout after the error. “I thought about how to console him when he came in after making a mistake. We were thinking about how to keep our mental strength from collapsing because we need to use the team,” Yeom said. “Both (Kim) Hyun-soo and (Oh) Ji-hwan, and (Park) Dong-won, (Park) Hae-min, and (Hong) Chang-ki all went to Bon-hyuk to console him. The seniors did what the coaching staff had to do.”
Koo could be in a slump. However, the seniors approached him and encouraged him by saying, “It’s okay. I can turn it around. I just need to win.” “He really turned the game around as the seniors said. It must have been a huge comfort to him. The seniors showed them not only through words but also through actions,” Yeom said.
“Seeing the old players move on their own so that the coaching staff has nothing to do, I thought our team was going in a good direction,” Yeom said. “I want to commend the old players for showing good performance not only in the way they play and train but also in terms of leadership. Bon-hyuk will do the same when he becomes a senior. As people connect with each other, a good system is being created.”
In the past, LG was often told that the atmosphere of its players was stiff and lacked strong teamwork. However, the mood gradually changed after Kim joined the team in 2018, and starting with the unified championship in 29 years last year, the team’s teamwork as a whole has been strengthened.
“An organization that strives to overcome each other in times of difficulty can be successful,” Yeom said. “I wanted to create such an atmosphere, but I am very grateful that the seniors did a great job,” he said. “If this atmosphere is created, the next 10 years will continue regardless of whether I am with or without me. Therefore, the future of LG is bright. It is completely different from the LG culture that he used to have. I have the power to become stronger externally.”
In the game against Hanwha on Wednesday last week, LG beat Ahn by playing baseball, which overcame the mistakes of its teammates. At the top of the ninth inning when the score was tying 2-2, Ahn attempted a bunt to send the batter to the second base with no outs and no runners on the second base, and the flow almost ended. However, the next batter, Hong Chang-ki, hit a timely hit to left field to bring the runner on second base Park Hae-min home and score the finishing run. It was a shot that erased Ahn’s bunt failure.
With one out and runners on the second base, Hong was out aiming for the third base when Shin grounded out to the shortstop, and with two outs and runners on the first base, Shin was also out because he was also caught by the pitcher. The situation could have changed due to two baserunners, but closer Yoo Young-chan blocked the ball in the bottom of the ninth inning. He allowed only one walk, and secured the other three batters to keep the victory 3-2. It was a “team victory” that covered up his teammates’ mistakes.
LG Electronics, which has swept five consecutive games in recent months, has 59 wins, 48 losses and two draws (winning rate .551), and has maintained a four-game gap with Kia (64 wins, 45 losses and two draws). It is not easy, but we cannot afford to give up. “When we ranked No. 1 last year, we were in a position to be chased. I feel more comfortable chasing than chasing. You never know what will happen to baseball until the end,” Hong said, vowing to chase down No. 1 until the end.