The Samsung Lions, led by head coach Park Jin-man, will play two consecutive games against the KIA Tigers in the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League at Samsung Lions Park in Daegu on the 31st and September 1st.안전놀이터
Samsung brought all three consecutive games against the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul from July 27 to 29. Samsung has achieved four consecutive league wins and seven consecutive away games. Samsung narrowed its game gap with KIA to 4.5 games and moved to its home ground in Daegu.
If Samsung wins both games, the gap between the two teams will be reduced to 2.5 games. Then, it will be hard to tell which team the first-place trophy will go to.
Samsung, however, remains vigilant. No one expected Samsung to stay in the championship list before the season. “Our forecast for this season was ninth. KIA was ranked first in the forecast list. That much, he has solid power. He is very strong even if he is against him.”
Captain Koo Ja-wook also said, “All of our players are working hard. I think the team is not good enough yet. The first thing to do is to know what we lack and do our best. I think we are in the process of growing up for a new dynasty,” adding, “There is nothing else about the Kia Tigers. They are the same team. They are our team to do their best every single game.”
Since the remaining games are scheduled to start from now on, six games a week do not happen every day. He will immediately take a day off on Thursday and hold two consecutive games on Saturday and Sept. 1. He will also have five days off next week after playing against the Lotte Giants on Sunday and the Daegu Doosan Bears on Sunday. He will play against the Lotte Giants in Busan on Sunday and hold two consecutive games against the NC Dinos at his home in Daegu on Wednesday and Saturday. There will be no games on Saturday and Sunday next week.
If so, the team might have to change the starting pitcher according to the opponent team’s record. However, coach Park Jin-man chose Soon-ri. The team has decided not to overdo it, even though it can recruit Won and Conor Seibold for the two consecutive games against KIA on August 31 and September 1. Baek Jung-hyun will play on August 31, and Won Tae-in will play on September 1. Conor is expected to prepare for the match against Lotte in Daegu on September 3. Won has 13 wins, the most wins in the league, while Conor is the first starter who recently won shut out the game with 10 wins.
“We will not change the rotation of the starting pitchers. Baek Jeong-hyun and Won Tae-in will join the team in the proper order,” coach Park Jin-man said on Sunday. “We have decided to set the players’ routines rather than relativity. It is most reasonable to follow the proper order all the time.”
And there is a change in Samsung recently. Oh Seung-hwan has moved to the second division despite sluggish performance in August. Oh took the mound as relief pitcher for the fourth time in 6909 days after the game against the Daejeon Hanwha Eagles on Sept. 28, 2005, at the Gocheok Kiwoom. It is an unusual move. He finished the game with 427 saves in his entire KBO league career.
“It’s time for me to play as a Samsung player. It’s been a long time,” coach Park Jin-man said with a smile. “My ball power has definitely improved. I also gained control. I have a role to play in the middle.”
“Kim Tae-hoon and right-hander Lee Seung-hyun will join the chasing team first. Lim Chang-min, Choi Ji-kwang, and Kim Tae-hoon will pass the match,” coach Park Jin-man said. “Lee Sang-min may also join the team depending on the situation in the latter half of the game. I hope Oh Seung-hwan will play the role of Oh Jak-kyo between the chasing team and the winning team.”
As coach Park Jin-man said, Oh Seung-hwan showed confidence by pitching good pitching with two strikeouts and no runs in 1.1 innings in the sixth inning with two outs and runners on the first and second bases.
Oh Seung-hwan from Samsung. Photo = Reporter Kim Young-gu
These could be the two most important matches for Samsung. Coach Park Jin-man, who chose to play the role of coach Oh Seung-hwan, who needs to play the role of Oh Jak-kyo, will bring about results in the two consecutive games.