"Yong-gyu's play continues in spite of circumstances." Hit → hit → hit → hit → escape three consecutive losses, and Kiwoom needed such a veteran
"Yong-gyu's play continues in spite of circumstances." Hit → hit → hit → hit → escape three consecutive losses, and Kiwoom needed such a veteran
Blog Article
Lee Yong-gyu, 40, of the Kiwoom Heroes. His name alone increases the fatigue of opposing pitchers. This season, he has taken the heavy responsibility of coaching playing, but he shows how much value he holds as a player as well as a coach.메이저사이트
Lee Yong-kyu started as the first batter center fielder in an away game between KT Wiz and Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League held at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on the 2nd and scored three hits, one strikeout and one point in six at-bats.
Lee Yong-kyu, who served as a playing coach, started three consecutive games after being registered in the first team entry on the 30th of last month and showed off his rusty skills with a batting average of 0.385 (5 hits in 13 at-bats).
Initially, Lee Yong-kyu spent his heyday with the KIA Tigers and Lee Yong-kyu, a contact master who also played as a national table setter, has been wearing Kiwoom uniforms since 2021 after playing for the Hanwha Eagles. Lee Yong-kyu, who was active with a batting average of 0.296 in his first season after moving, suffered ups and downs in the next two seasons, but rebounded with a batting average of 0.306 (56 hits in 183 times at bat) in 60 games last year.
Ahead of this season, Kiwoom honored Lee by maintaining an annual salary of 200 million won and accompanied the team after the opening, but the team was not registered in the roster. He trained with players and served as a mentor.
Then on April 18, Kiwoom appointed Lee Yong-kyu as its playing coach. "I expect him not only to serve as a strong mentor for young players in the team, but also to empower my team's victory as a veteran player in the field," he added.
Lee Yong-kyu weighed as much on "playing" as "coach". As Kiwoom struggled amid the poor batting lineup, it desperately needed the role of a veteran. The unusual status of a "playing coach" also caused problems in the KBO computer system, which took longer to register for the first team.
Nevertheless, Lee proved how well he is still prepared as a player. As soon as he was finally listed in the first division entry ahead of the game against the Lotte Giants on June 30, he started as the first designated hitter and perfectly proved his value by scoring two hits, one walk, one stolen base and two runs from four times at bat.
He penetrated the opponent team's loopholes and made sensational bunt hits seeking direction to second base, and even made infield hits and stolen bases. He also constantly tried to bully the pitcher by fouling him out. Lee Yong-kyu, who is seeking to join the 2,000-hit-400 stolen base club for the second time after Jeon Joon-ho, will have only three left in his 400 stolen bases.
He left a regret with three hits, one walk, and one strikeout in three at-bats against Lotte on the 1st, but he showed three hits in the game against KT on the 2nd to lead his team to a 5-3 victory.
Lee Yong-kyu, who produced a heavy hit with a simple hit against opposing ace Ko Young-pyo in the top of the first inning, left a regret by striking out with the bases loaded with two outs in the second inning, but he made a heavy hit with two outs and runners on the first and second bases in the fourth inning and laid the foundation for Song Sung-moon's RBI timely hit. Even in the unfavorable ball count, he calmly led the game to the seventh pitch and made contact once again, making a hit that separated the shortstop from the second baseman.
In the sixth inning and at the first base with no outs, he swung over Ko Young-pyo's infield single, as well as hitting a left-handed hit. He created an opportunity with runners on the first and second bases with no outs, and Kiwoom added four more runs due to back-to-back timely hits by Song Seong-moon and Choi Joo-hwan. Lee also scored.
With a team batting average of 0.239, Kiwoom ranks seventh, just four runs ahead of the lowest SSG (0.235). Among the batters who have met the regulation, Choi Joo-hwan is the only batter who has hit the .300 mark. As scoring opportunities are not continuing, the presence of veteran Lee Yong-kyu, who can create chances to get on base, is expected to be a great boost.