*This content was translated by AI.
Recently, a truck protest by some LG Twins fans opposing the transfer of Lee Son-ju (28) to the closer role heated up the baseball world. However, the player's overwhelming performance on the mound completely erased the justification for the protest. As Lee Son-ju continued to perform brilliantly day after day following the position change, criticism emerged, mocking the protest as an action that served no practical purpose and only benefited the truck rental company.
This incident began when some extreme fans opposed the news of Lee Son-ju's transfer to the closer role. They held a truck protest near Jamsil Stadium, pressuring the club and coaching staff with reasons such as "opposing the hasty win-now approach that trades the club's future," "who will protect the Twins' future," and "what we want is not just one year's championship."
However, it is true that reactions both inside and outside the baseball world were puzzled by the sight of fans mobilizing a truck for collective action regarding strategic choices based on team circumstances during the season and the inherent authority of the field. This was partly because those who claimed to be LG fans appeared to be disrupting a club competing at the top of the standings.
In fact, the position change was fully understandable if one had simply listened to manager Yeom Kyung-yeop (58)'s plan and explanation. At a meeting with reporters ahead of the Samsung match on the 12th at Jamsil, Manager Yeom announced Lee Son-ju's transfer to the closer role, stating, "The closer position is extremely important for operating the season. Looking at KBO League history, dynasty teams all had strong closers. Our club also achieved an eight-game winning streak with closer Yoo Young-chan. We have already discussed this with the player and the club, and it went through all coaching staff meetings. Ultimately, this is the conclusion reached at the current moment, and the final decision was made today." He also added that it was a desperate measure.
After Yoo Young-chan left, if the best-case scenario of Jang Hyun-sik (31) and Ham Deok-ju (31) performing well in the closer role had materialized, there would have been no problem. However, as a person ultimately responsible for the coaching staff, simply watching the team suffer extra-inning defeats without taking action would have amounted to dereliction of duty. Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop, upon discovering the protest truck on his way to work ahead of the Samsung match on the 14th, did not pretend not to see it but actively explained the situation, urging people to "trust and support the club's decision."
Manager Yeom Gyang-ryang's calculation to resolve the team's Achilles' heel—the anxiety in the bullpen—and maximize the team's winning percentage by utilizing Lee Son-ju, who possesses powerful pitching, perfectly came to fruition. It took only three games to prove that the on-field decision was correct. Lee Son-ju delivered perfect pitching in every game he appeared in after the position change, rendering the very purpose of the protest meaningless.
In the Samsung match at Jamsil on the 13th, Lee Son-ju showcased perfect pitching with scoreless baseball in his first test after the closer transition, signaling the start of successful bullpen control. There was no wavering in the away game against SSG in Incheon on the 15th either. Leveraging his overwhelming pitching, he subdued the SSG lineup and continued his consecutive scoreless streak. The match against SSG in Incheon on the 17th, the final game of the weekend series, was concluded cleanly without allowing a single run, putting a period on the "three consecutive perfect games."
As Lee Son-ju quelled the controversy with his performance, even within the LG Twins fanbase, fans began to quickly draw a line with those who led the protest, saying, "This does not represent the opinion of all fans," "Why is the shame ours to bear?" and "Use the money to rent trucks to help the disadvantaged instead." The collective action that ignored the expertise of the field, which knows best the player's physical condition and team circumstances, ultimately backfired.
Ultimately, this protest left only a bitter aftertaste without changing the club's operational direction or gaining the sympathy of the majority of fans. In fact, a backlash even occurred. As Lee Son-ju protected the team's victory with consecutive scoreless perfect games, sharp criticism poured out on internet communities and elsewhere, labeling those who led the protest as having "contributed to a 'creative economy' where only money was spent and nothing was gained, ultimately only fattening the truck rental companies." As collective fan actions have become a trend, this is interpreted as evidence that fatigue has reached its peak regarding the "show-off fan culture" where people send trucks without distinguishing between legitimate criticism and simple dissatisfaction.
What LG needs now is not the intimidating slogans on trucks, but the genuine support and applause from fans who trust and watch over the team.
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*This content was translated by AI.
