*This content was translated by AI.
Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants) was Lee Jung-hoo. Lee Jung-hoo also showed a higher class against the Central League winner last year.
Lee Jung-hoo started as the third batter right fielder in a warm-up match against the Hanshin Tigers at Kyocera Dome in Osaka, Japan on the 2nd and scored two hits and one run in three at-bats.
Lee Jung-hoo, who had a hit from the first inning against Hiroto Saiki, the No. 1 ERA in the Central League, had another hit in the third inning. He also proved that he can hit in various places in the first inning to center field and in the third inning to left field. With Lee Jung-hoo's performance, the game ended in a 3-3 draw.
After the game, the enemy leader also paid attention to Lee Jung-hoo. "Both Hanshin and the Korean national team showed persistent tenacity in each ball," coach Kyuji Fujikawa said of Lee Jung-hoo, who was selected as a player to pay attention to even before the game, adding, "The batting sound was also strong at the moment of contact. He said, "Our team's players have a lot to learn from."
Japanese national baseball team coach Hirokazu Ibata (50) was asked about South Korea at a press conference ahead of the Orix Buffaloes' warm-up match. Japanese media Sponizia Nex said, "Coach Ibata picked Lee Jung-hoo, 'Korea's Ichiro,'" adding, "I played baseball with his father (Lee Jong-beom) and saw Lee Jung-hoo just born in Nagoya. I'm very happy to see such a player playing in the major leagues," he said.
"I thought the level was really high today when I saw him make a hit with a single swing for sure. He is a very good hitter."
However, Lee Jung-hoo was not the only one to focus on. He expressed caution about the entire South Korean lineup, which scored three points on the day. "Every hitter in Korea swings his bat without hesitation when the timing is right. As expected, I was impressed that the sweet ball (real throw) was scary," he said.
Hanshin catcher Fushimi Toray said, "It's a very aggressive team. "I thought it was also great to see Saiki's powerful fastball accurately hit from the first inning and make a hit," he said.
Lee Jung-hoo will wear the captain's armband in this competition. South Korea has been eliminated from the group stage for the third time in a row since the runner-up in 2009, but Lee Jung-hoo stresses that it will be different this time. In particular, he is determined to continue his father's performance, which overpowered Japan with a strong performance in 2006. Already, Lee Jung-hoo is receiving special attention from competition teams.
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*This content was translated by AI.
