Veteran Infielders' Betrayal At 145 Years Old In Total, Game 2 Should Be Different

Second-ranked KT suffered an unexpected blow to fourth-ranked NC in the first round of the playoffs. The infielders, who are 145 years old in total, who are supposed to lead the big game, suffered poor offense and defense.

KT finished the 2023 season from last place in early June to miraculous second place. The power of the veteran infield was the biggest driving force that was able to raise the winning margin from -14 to +17. Starting with captain and second baseman Park Kyung-soo (39), first baseman Park Byung-ho (37), third baseman Hwang Jae-kyun (36), and shortstop Kim Sang-soo (33) showed off their veteran dignity in their respective positions. A stable defense is basic, and he has become a model for many juniors in the dugout with his team play that fits the situation. The total age of the four is 145, and Kim Sang-soo, who joined the professional league in 2009, is the youngest.

The KT club said in its 2023 postseason media guidebook, "Shortstop Kim Sang-soo, who was recruited as a FA, swung hard at a time when the team was in crisis. On top of that, Kim Min-hyuk, Jang Sung-woo, Park Byung-ho, and Hwang Jae-kyun showed good batting performance. They praised their contribution, saying, "We created a dramatic season that cannot be easily found even in KBO history." Coach Lee also expressed his expectations for the four officials in training for the playoffs, saying, "All four of them will go out in the first round."

Prior to the first round of the playoffs on the 30th, KT's starting lineup was unveiled. Kim Sang-soo was ranked 1st, Hwang Jae-kyun 2nd, Park Byung-ho 4th, and Park Kyung-soo 9th. Three of the four veteran players were forward-deployed in the top lineup. Coach Lee said, "When Kim Sang-soo takes the lead off, the on-base percentage and scoring ability are good. "In the current situation, I judged that Kim Sang-soo No. 1 was the best," he said.

Did I take too long a break. Or is it that the physical strength has not been restored even after three weeks of long time. The four veteran powers that KT expected were thoroughly pressed by the momentum of the Dinosaur Corps, which came to the playoffs with great power. He had one hit in 13 at-bats and a fatal defense error.

In the attack, Kim Sang-soo and Hwang Jae-kyun, who took the heavy responsibility of table setters, failed to set the table with only four hits in four at-bats. No. 1 Son Ah-seop had three hits, one RBI, and two runs in five at-bats, and No. 2 Park Min-woo had two hits, one walk, and two runs in four at-bats, which contrasts with NC. Park Kyung-soo was replaced by pinch hitter Lee Ho-yeon after striking out in his first at-bat, and Park Byung-ho struck out in the second, fourth and sixth innings before hitting a double in the ninth inning, but showed helplessness as he failed to respond to the opponent's fast ball at all.

In defense, third baseman Hwang Jae-kyun, who won 14.8 billion won in two FA contracts, made an absurd error that did not match the ransom. It was a defensive situation in the top of the third inning, trailing 0-2. Starter William Cuevas induced leadoff Park Min-woo to hit an ordinary fly ball, but Hwang Jae-kyun, who shouted "My Ball," made a fatal catch error by missing it while wandering to find the drop point. Cuevas, who was shaken up, gave two more runs after timely hits against Park Gun-woo (double) and Kwon Hee-dong. It was the moment when I gave my opponent a chance to win. 스포츠중계

Four players are also expected to start the second game on the 31st. If there is a change, the second baseman will change from Park Kyung-soo to Lee Ho-yeon. However, it is not easy to take out Lee Ho-yeon's starting card because defense is an important short-term game. In the end, the 145-year-old infield has no choice but to lead the game as it did in the regular season. KT has had a synergy effect of maximizing the performance of young players when four players have been firmly in the infield.

Shin Min-hyuk, who is relatively easier to start the second round of NC than the monster Eric Peddy. It is also expected that through the first game, he recovered his sense of practice, which had fallen for three weeks. It remains to be seen whether KT will be able to avenge its defeat in the first game with its veteran power.