There was a scene that symbolized the power and atmosphere of the KIA Tigers, who confirmed their direct advance to the Korean Series with seven remaining games left in the KBO League in the 2024 season.메이저놀이터
KIA manager Lee Bum-ho, who was urgently appointed as the head coach ahead of the opening of the season, drew attention by making a firm decision in a game against the Samsung Lions on July 17.
Starting pitcher Yang took the mound in the top of the fifth inning with his team leading 9-3. Yang was shaky. He allowed two runs, and the crisis continued with runners on the first and second bases with two outs. Still, the gap was four points, and if he had one more count, he could meet the requirement to become a winning pitcher.
However, manager Lee Bum-ho decided to activate the bullpen early. Given that Yang is Kia`s flagship franchise star, it was by no means an easy decision. Yang showed unacceptable reactions.
Manager Lee Bum-ho approached Yang, who was embarrassed even after joining the dugout. Lee offered a “back hug” to Yang, consoling the ace, who would have suffered a setback in his pride. This scene drew much attention among baseball fans.
It is hard to find a professional coach with unparalleled authority in the squad doing this to appease his players.
Coach Lee Bum-ho has been cool-headed throughout the season. When a player made a mesmerizing play on the ground, he often replaced it immediately, and as Yang Hyun-jong’s early replacement shows, the team made a firm decision. Since the principles and standards were clear without being swayed by emotions, and because such decisions often lead to victory, the team atmosphere was not shaken.
In addition, head coach Lee Bum-ho’s “back hug” is also a scene that symbolizes his own leadership that communicates frequently with players and is free from anger.
Kia confirmed its regular league championship on Wednesday. It lost to SSG Landers 0-2 at an away game in Incheon, but at the same time, the second-ranked Samsung Lions lost to the Doosan Bears 4-8, finally achieving “zero” in order to advance directly to the Korean Series.
It is the first time in seven years that Kia has advanced directly to the Korean Series since the 2017 season when it achieved the unified championship. Now, Kia, a prestigious pro baseball team, is aiming for the V12 including its predecessor, the Haitai Tigers.
For the first time ever in the 2024 season, the KBO league has surpassed the 10 million mark accumulated for the first time in its history. Kia’s fever is a key keyword of the league this season. Kia has sold out a total of 26 times (20,500 seats) to mark the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Gwangju KIA Champions Field, breaking the previous record (1024,830 people in 2017) by mobilizing 1,177,249 accumulated spectators.
The popularity of the KBO league has heightened as social media contents related to baseball have become diversified and widely distributed. A case in point is the “Pippi Longstocking” dance. Although it was not started this year as a performance by the cheering squad every time a KIA pitcher strikes out, it has drawn a lot of attention until recently, leading to a challenge craze on social media.