'KBO coach → NPB coach' unusual decision for national hitters, how was it made to the prestigious Yomiuri daily [Okinawa Station]

*This content was translated by AI.

Former national batter Lee Seung-yeop (50) expressed his honest feelings about taking over as the batting coach for the Yomiuri Giants' first team, a prestigious Japanese professional baseball (NPB).

Coach Lee Seung-yeop faced his former team, the Samsung Lions, at the Cellular Stadium in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan on the 28th. Yomiuri, who had a total of 10 hits in nine innings, defeated Samsung, which had only four hits in 11 innings, 4-2.

Coach Lee Seung-yeop, who met with reporters after the game, said, "I know it's a good team because I was watching it in the other team's dugout last year. He said, "It's a team I played in the past, and the hitters are so outstanding." "Samsung had four hits and about 12 strikeouts, but when he faced the pitcher at bat, he had a very good batting attitude," he praised.

He also expressed his opinion as a hitting coach for the Yomiuri Giants. Coach Lee Seung-yeop said, "I told our players, but our team's players are passive at bat because (NPB) pitchers are so good," adding, "Of course, we should focus on contact in the second strike, but I think we should swing our own before then."

Coach Lee Seung-yeop voluntarily resigned as head coach of the Doosan Bears during last season and returned to the wild. Since then, he has been in charge of the hitting instructor for the Yomiuri closing camp after last season at the suggestion of his teammate and current head coach Abe Shinnosuke (47).

At the end of the final camp, he was offered an official first-team hitting coach by manager Abe. According to various Japanese media, including Chunichi Sports and Nikkan Sports, Abe recalled Lee Seung-yeop, who had been a practice bug since his active days.

Last year, Yomiuri ranked third in the Central League with only 70 wins, 4 draws, and 69 losses, winning only 50%. The last time Japan won the series was in 2012, not worthy of Japan's most prestigious team. That's how much change I had to make.

Coach Lee Seung-yeop made the choice to head to Japan with his family. Coach Lee Seung-yeop, who has been serving as a coach since this spring camp, heads to the stadium at 7:50 a.m. every day. Coach Lee Seung-yeop said, "Japanese teams train fast. There are players who come early and train, and they are diligent," he said.

In fact, coach Lee Seung-yeop's trip to Yomiuri is considered an unusual choice. It was rare to quit the coach and go straight to the coach of another team, and it was not possible to see NPB, not KBO.

Coach Lee Seung-yeop said, "I don't mind coaching right away from the coach. Rather, in Korea, I think it would have been a little subtle if I had coached first before I coached. It's hard to express, but I thought Abe is younger than me, but he's Japanese and the environment is a little different."

"As a result, I think (Yomi-ri's proposal) was a good opportunity. It's an honor for me to be able to coach the players in the uniform of Japan's best club," he added.

It was determined that the NPB environment of extreme contributors would also help his leadership life. Coach Lee Seung-yeop said, "The focus of Japanese baseball is to protect it differently from Korean baseball. The pitcher is so good that he cannot score more points than Korean baseball. It's different from when I run," he explained. He said, "I'm encountering another baseball game. I am also learning and trying various things by communicating well with players, coaches, coaches, and staff," he said.

He expressed satisfaction with narrowing the distance with the players and having more contact points to communicate with them. Coach Lee Seung-yeop said, "I learned a lot about my face while staying in Yomiuri for two to three weeks last fall. Thanks to him, we are communicating without any problems," he said. "I have a lot more time to communicate with the players than when I was a coach. Yomiuri also has a lot of star players because the team's atmosphere has changed a lot, but there are also many young players. "I have a lot of practice and training is difficult, but I feel rewarded to see the players playing hard toward their goals," he said with a smile.

Coach Abe, his best friend when he was a player, also showed respect as a head coach. Coach Lee Seung-yeop said, "He's a teammate I played with before and he's younger than me, but he's doing it well because he's a coach. We respect each other and talk about the players," he said. "There are a lot of points in Korea, but Japan really doesn't score. The opposing pitcher is so good that the average score per game is less than 3 to 4 points. So, we think together about how to get one more point and win a lot. Director Abe also told me to be comfortable and fun, but I don't think it's an interesting place."

Finally, he left a message of support for his former team Samsung. Coach Lee Seung-yeop said, "The number of foreign players has changed this year, and foreign pitchers have been injured today (February 28), and as a senior member of the team I played before, I hope I can achieve good results and win the championship."

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*This content was translated by AI.