The advice given by the master to the second-tier catcher. The reason why all prospects should remember is that they are good at defense. Then you'll be the main player
May 20, 2025
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Choi Jae-hoon posted a letter of permission in preparation for a sudden situation due to thigh discomfort, but the need for permission disappeared as Choi Jae-hoon's condition improved. Heo In-seo, who had not played in any games since coming to the first team, hit an RBI double as a pinch hitter against LG on the 30th, a day before going down to the second team, and scored his first RBI in his first appearance since discharge.
Coach Kim's encouragement to Heo In-seo, who went down to the second division, was defense. Coach Kim said at the time, `I think Heo In-seo is a confident player in the attack side. "When I saw him in spring training, he was confident in his hitting side. "Listen to the fact that he's better at defense than the offensive side. Then he said he would be the main player." He revealed what he ordered from Heo In-seo. Director Kim expected Heo In-seo's development, saying, `When I saw the pitch, he threw better than when I first saw him last year.'
This can be said to be advice not only to Heo In-seo, but also to prospects who are talented in hitting. Coach Kim emphasized that defense is the basic option for a professional player to succeed. Coach Kim said, "There are many players who hit the bat in any position, but the defense is in the middle, so they can't settle down." "If a professional defends well and runs the base well, he or she will have more and more opportunities if he goes out (as a substitute) and hits there again." That's how good the defense should be," he stressed.
Many coaches often value defense when using promising players. Of course, there are cases where a player with a good hitting gets a chance first, and you can meet a successful case. It is extremely rare for high school graduates such as Lee Jung-hoo (Kium Heroes → San Francisco Giants) and Kang Baek-ho (KT Wiz) and Kim Do-young (KIA Tigers) to succeed in the first team immediately. However, in many cases, hitters play as substitutes for the first team and then get only a few chances and go down to the second team or show good batting to expose defensive anxiety even if they get a chance to start, which leads to poor batting and eventually fails to settle for the first team.
As head coach Kim said, there are many examples of starting as a major player and becoming a main player. This is the case when Park Hae-min, LG's center fielder, became as manager Kim said. In 2014, he came up from the second division of the Samsung Lions as a major defense and pinch runner agent, but when he hit in the batting, he started as a starter and became a key player as the number of starts increased as he did well. And he qualified as an FA and transferred to LG for four years and 6 billion won in 2022 and is looking at his second FA this year.
Recently, LG put Son Yong-joon, a second-year player who hit well in the second division, into the first division, but after playing two games as designated batters, he went back down to the second division. The batting was good, but the defense was not yet good enough to play in the first team, so it was a call-up to gain experience in the first team. In the doubleheader against KT Wiz on the 17th, rookie outfielder Park Kwan-woo rose this year as a special entry for the doubleheader. It was the first first first team registration among LG's rookie outfielders. Coach Yeom explained, `I called it up for the main players to rest because they said the defense was okay.' Park Kwan-woo played in the top of the eighth inning as a logarithmic defense in the first game of the doubleheader and hit in the bottom of the eighth inning, recording a straight hit to the second baseman.
Prospects with good batting often disappeared after failing to find their position due to poor defense. This is why promising players should keep Kim's advice in mind. The point is that you have to defend well to get a chance.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
