"The U.S. doesn't bunt in such situations, but since it's Korea." Did Kim Kyung-moon criticize SSG? [Shin Hwa-seop's Sports Inside]

*This content was translated by AI.

# "The U.S. doesn't bunt in such situations. But since it's Korea."

If an SSG Landers official had said this, would they be criticizing Choi Ji-hoon (29, SSG) or defending him?

The Hanwha Eagles-SSG game held at Daejeon Hanwha Life Park on April 30. Hanwha's starting pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin (39) had perfectly retired 15 batters through the 5th inning, but allowed a surprise bunt single to the third-base side on the first pitch to leadoff batter Choi Ji-hoon in the bottom of the 6th while leading 1-0. Following that, Ryu Hyun-jin surrendered five more hits and two walks, allowing six runs and collapsing. Ultimately, Hanwha lost 3-14.

Choi Ji-hoon's bunt was hardly a violation of the so-called "unwritten rules of baseball." It was not the 8th or 9th inning when a major record was within reach, and furthermore, it was a one-run tight game. It was a play well worth attempting to open up a stalled team offense.

# However, the next day, comments by Hanwha manager Kim Kyung-moon (68) unexpectedly became a source of controversy. Claims arose that when manager Kim told reporters ahead of the Samsung Lions game held at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 1st, saying "In the U.S., they don't bunt in such situations," he was criticizing the opposing team.

Words can be interpreted in different ways. The exact dialogue between the reporters and manager Kim at the time was as follows.

Reporter: Player Ryu Hyun-jin was truly dominant until the 5th inning, but then one bunt….

Kim Kyung-moon: Well, you see. So the difference between Korea and the U.S. is that when such records are being made, in the U.S., they can't bunt.

Reporter: As an unwritten rule….

Kim Kyung-moon: That's right, in the U.S. But the opponent is, well, us Koreans…. Anyway, SSG is a good team right now. Hyun-jin pitched so well, so it's a bit disappointing.

Although he said, "In the U.S., they don't bunt in such situations," he immediately added, "But since it's us Koreans." This can be interpreted not as "Since the U.S. doesn't bunt, they shouldn't bunt in Korea either," but rather as "The U.S. is like that, but we Koreans might be different."

The expression "disappointing" can also be read as meaning "It's disappointing that Ryu Hyun-jin, who was pitching so well, allowed a run," rather than "Choi Ji-hoon's bunt was disappointing." The remark that "SSG is a good team" even gave the impression of praising the opponent's play. It seemed far from a tone of criticizing SSG and Choi Ji-hoon.

# In the KBO League, it is uncommon for managers to directly shoot at opposing teams in front of reporters. Among them, manager Kim Kyung-moon, who has been in the dugout for his 17th season this year, is known to avoid making comments about other teams, not only in official settings but even in private.

Rather, when controversy arises, he is quick to say "It's my fault, our fault." In June 2024, Hanwha pitcher Park Sang-won (32) struck out a batter while leading KT Wiz by 10 runs and performed a celebration, prompting the opposing team to complain that it was excessive, leading to a bench-clearing incident after the game. At that time, manager Kim Kyung-moon said, "While playing baseball, we must learn what we need to learn. I will teach (the players) more," taking responsibility himself and having Park Sang-won visit KT the next day to apologize.

# Recently, fans have been pouring criticism at Hanwha and manager Kim Kyung-moon. Having finished as runners-up last year, they were expected to aim for the championship this year, but the team's performance has plummeted to the bottom of the standings. Especially as the bullpen has repeatedly collapsed, voices of dissatisfaction regarding manager Kim's pitching management are rising. "Why wasn't a video review requested?", "We told Moon Hyun-bin (22, Hanwha) not to do the 'eye-gouging' routine, and he ended up with zero hits in five at-bats," and so on. It feels as though "everything is the manager's fault," and fans are casting sharp glances.

A professional baseball manager may appear glamorous, but it is a lonely position. Managers must make numerous decisions directly, from the starting lineup before each game, and must also bear the responsibility. Bullpen pitchers, struggling core hitters—they are often criticized whether used or not. As the saying goes, in baseball, results speak for everything.

Only 30 games have been played, just one-fifth of the entire season. Love is synonymous with trust. Wouldn't it be more helpful for Hanwha, manager Kim Kyung-moon, and the fans alike to watch with a bit more patience?

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*This content was translated by AI.