If I make a mistake, 1 million won! Coach and coach will pay fines instead of players. Beginner head coach Lee Ho-joon's first season ambition

Mar 05, 2025

Director Lee Ho-joon of NC for the interview back home. Reporter Kim Young-rok

photo courtesy of NC Dinos

"If you make a mistake, the coaches will pay 20,000 won each instead." The director is different. If I make a mistake, it's a million won."

He spent 14 seasons as a player and 7 seasons as a coach. NC, which has a history of more than 10 years, is also a franchise star.

However, this year is the first experience as a head coach. It is the first time that he has led the team as a coach in a spring camp and an interview between him and his departure and return home.

Lee Ho-joon, manager of the NC Dinos, has long been evaluated as a `man to coach someday.' Coach Lee Ho-joon, who met at Incheon International Airport on the 5th, was full of worries with a bright smile.

However, the attitude toward the interview back home was too relaxed. He returned from a long spring camp of more than a month, but he was more excited and energetic than tired.

" (Arizona) The first camp was comfortable, but I had a lot of worries in Taiwan. Is it because I'm a novice director? From selection to batting order, nothing has been decided yet. I'm going to think more about it while playing the exhibition game."

Each team will play 10 exhibition games. Coach Lee Ho-joon said, `I'm going to make a clear decision by playing eight games, and I'm going to play as the best member for the other two games.'

Lylie (left) and Logan. Photo courtesy =NC Dinos

Logan from the Major League tends to be slow. At the end of the camp, the fastball speed barely exceeded 140km. It is a different move from Riley, who has already been puffing 152-153km.

As for native starters, veteran Lee Yong-chan is only certain at the moment. That Lee Yong-chan will also return to the starting lineup for the first time since moving to NC in 2020. Existing Lee Jae-hak, Choi Sung-young, Kim Young-kyu, Shin Min-hyuk, Kim Tae-kyung, who returned from injury, and rookie Mok Ji-hoon, Shin Young-woo, and Son Joo-hwan are in infinite competition.

The head coach "The players who expected to do it were a little sluggish in Taiwan, and there are also players who showed good performances." I will decide the opening entry after watching it until the end."

As for Lee Yong-chan, who returned as a starter for the first time in a long time, "He has better physical strength than I thought. Even if you throw 36 pitches in one inning, your speed will not drop. When I threw my body confidently, other breaking balls also came to life. Even if he makes a mistake, he is good at handling the operation like a veteran." About Son Joo-hwan, who joined Taiwan's second camp, "I didn't have high expectations, but I liked how he threw it bravely. I think I'll be on the first team," he added. Ryu Jin-wook is likely to finish.

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"(Shin)Minhyuk came out 142km from Taiwan. I've never seen him throw more than 140km. Still, he is cautious because he returned from surgery and needs a substitute selection. (Kim) Tae-kyung is also good, and Shin Young-woo (who had elbow pain) slowed down the tempo without overdoing it. I'm in a condition where I can throw, but I held it a little longer. I intend to run the season with seven or eight players."

Pitcher coach Seo Jae-eung is in charge of pitching management. The composition of the entry, even the number of people (13-14), gave pitching coaches a boost.

Instead, the point that new coach Lee Ho-joon, a former batting coach, worked on is '2 Kim Joo-won'. He "Honestly, the batting order is twisted. Son Ah-seop and Kwon Hee-dong are also using Kim Joo-won at No. 2 but continue until the beginning of the season. The batting order explained that only No. 1, Park Min-woo, No. 2, and No. 4 Davidson were confirmed.

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"(Kim) Joo-won should do it for you. I'm telling you to feel pressured. Park Min-woo and Kim Joo-won's mobility must be strong to solve the team's attack. Blocking double play, stealing. If Joo Won doesn't do it twice, the team is hard. I'm going to stay stubborn...I like to use left-handed hitters for all 1 to 3. If you do it, it's going to be 1st to 3rd base. Switch heaters are also good in this area."

Numbers 1 to 6 are arranged in the order of shrewd batting, and the lower batting line is decorated with 'Hanbang'. Kim Hwi-jip, Kim Hyung-joon, Han Jae-hwan, and Chun Jae-hwan showed good performances. Coach Lee Ho-joon said, `We may not be able to do well at the trial game. Since I was a long-distance hitter, I think it's all a process and I'm ready to understand. I'm trying to give you opportunities steadily." Regarding this year's goal, "The first goal is fall baseball, which everyone says, and I want to use at least two pitchers a year.", he explained.

Director Lee Ho-joon at the retirement ceremony in 2017. Photo courtesy =NC Dinos

It is his first spring camp as a coach. There is no choice but to feel different. "When I was coaching, I could see well from the pitcher to the base running, but there are so many things to do as a manager. I missed the signing tempo, I'm agonizing over the pinch hitter, I can't decide who to replace the pitcher...There are so many things to learn." He shook his head excitedly.

"If a mistake is made this year, the coach will pay the fine instead of the player. If the catcher fails to block, the coach in charge will pay a fine of 20,000 won each if the battery coach and the baserunning or defense mistakes occur. Of course, the amount of money is large for the director. If you make a wrong signature or make a mistake in the operation, you will pay 1 million won. My mistake is directly related to winning or losing. Standards? Coaches and players know everything when they see it."

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.