Sports Chosun = Reporter Kim Yong
Sports Chosun DB
“You have to have experience to win. I don’t think this prerequisite is right.”
KBO Golden Gloves Awards Ceremony held at COEX Auditorium in Samseong-dong, Seoul on the 11th. Commentator Lee Soon-cheol and coach Lee Beom-ho presented the awards. Samseong-dong = Reporter Song Jeong-heon songs@sportschosun.com/2023.12.11
This is the opinion of a legendary veteran commentator who knows the KIA Tigers better than anyone else. When the topic of KIA’s new coach’s conditions came up, he poured out his thoughts without hesitation. Who do you think suits you?
Spring camp is in full swing, and the nation’s biggest holiday, the Lunar New Year, is approaching. However, KIA’s new coach has not yet been decided. There are no rumors of a strong candidate. As such, KIA is in the process of appointing a new director under ‘tight security’. The final candidates have been selected, and the plan is to announce a new director as soon as possible after conducting interviews.
SBS commentator Soon-cheol Lee appeared on Sports Chosun’s baseball YouTube channel ‘Baseball Manager’. Commissioner Lee is a legend from the Haitai Tigers, the predecessor of KIA. As a coach, he went through many hardships, worked as a commentator for a long time, and is famous for making ‘cheeky’ comments on current baseball issues.
After the dismissal of manager Kim Jong-kook, baseball fans’ primary concern is who will be the new manager. The downside is that with the season opening imminent, it is impossible to organize the coaching staff as desired, and it takes time to get to know the players. However, KIA’s performance this season is so good that it is predicted that they will play fall baseball even if they just sit down. This is a situation in which anyone who wants to win would be greedy.
Therefore, many baseball players are being mentioned as candidates. The names of former LG Twins coach Lee Jong-beom, the Tigers’ best franchise star, as well as national team coach Ryu Joong-il, who has a lot of championship experience, former NC Dinos coach Kim Gyeong-moon, and former SSG Landers coach Kim Won-hyung, are mentioned. Here, the possibility of Sun Dong-yeol, Cho Beom-hyun, and former coach Kim Ki-tae as experienced leaders who know KIA well was also mentioned. There are also former Lotte Giants coach Yang Sang-moon and former LG coach Ryu Ji-hyun, who have no championship experience but have been recognized for their leadership. Additionally, head coach Jin Gap-yong and hitting coach Lee Beom-ho are strong candidates as internal coaches.
What did Commissioner Lee consider important as a condition for KIA supervision? Commissioner Lee said, “KIA, along with KT Wiz, appears to have the most stable power among the 10 teams. LG is also strong, but there are many leaks in the bullpen of Go Woo-seok, Ham Deok-ju, and Lee Jeong-yong. We cannot guarantee a win.”
He continued, “KIA is closest to the championship if the new first and second foreign starters do not fall out of the rotation and win at least 10 games. The pitch clock should also be paid attention to. Although it has not been confirmed whether the pitch clock will be introduced, many fast fielders will be in the lineup once the pitch clock is implemented. “The difference in power will increase depending on whether it is in place or not. The impact of the 3-inning limit on checking pitchers will be significant. KIA has many fast players, so their offense and defense power appears to be solid,” he explained.
Commissioner Lee said, “It would be good for any coach to start the season knowing the team’s strength well, but with KIA’s strength now, the manager should not intervene too much in the players’ play and allow the players to display their skills to their fullest. That kind of mindset. He predicted, “If a coach with the skills comes in, we will advance to the top of the regular season without much trouble.” This means that even if the players are left to their own devices, KIA is a contender for the championship.
Lastly, Commissioner Lee said, “There must be a coach who maximizes the power he has. The coach may only need to intervene 2-3 times during a game. KIA will ensure that the players’ skills are sufficient even if the coach does not intervene significantly until the middle of the game. “Good results will be achieved. If that happens, big ball baseball, which KIA fans prefer, will also emerge. In this respect, the prerequisite of having experience to win the championship does not fit,” he expressed his thoughts.
Although committee member Lee did not name a specific person, if we take into account his emphasis that winning experience is not necessary, it leads to the conclusion that Coach Lee Jong-beom is not a bad choice. This coach is strongly desired by fans, and as the best franchise star, he has the power to turn the current chaotic situation around at once. On the other hand, some point out that it is unreasonable to appoint him as the manager of a team that is shouting ‘win now’ because he has no managerial experience.
KIA also has a headache. If it is a rebuilding season or the team is aiming for a mid-to-upper ranking, hiring a first-time manager is not a bad idea. However, while there are calls here and there for KIA’s possibility of winning, if the baton is handed over to a novice coach and the season ends, the repercussions may come as a shock to the leadership. In particular, many analyzes say that it can be overwhelming for a novice coach because he or she must carry on the existing coaching staff.
Reporter Kim Yong awesome@sportschosun.com
2024-02-11 19:23:12
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