"One defensive play can send a pitcher to the minor league." LG captain Park Hae-min shows fighting spirit, even in games where his team is losing heavily. Why did he throw his body into the play?

*This content was translated by AI.

LG Twins center fielder Park Hae-min (36) explained why he sprints to field the ball even in games his team is losing.

Park Hae-min became an instant hero on the 24th during the Jamsil Kiwoom Heroes game with a walk-off three-run home run that led LG to a 6-4 victory. It was his first career walk-off home run, erasing the frustration of four at-bats without a hit and the stagnant game flow all at once. As a result, LG finished the week with three wins and two losses, maintaining second place, just 0.5 games behind the first-place Samsung Lions (28 wins, 1 tie, 18 losses).

Since May, LG has shown inconsistent performance. With a team ERA of 5.34 (7th in the league) and a batting average of 0.250 (9th in the league) in May, both pitching and hitting have been underwhelming, leading the team to adopt a "select and focus" strategy that clearly gives up on losing games. However, fans who come to the stadium to see winning games have no choice but to feel disappointed.

Park Hae-min recently said about games where his team is losing by a large margin, "It really makes me feel sorry when I see fans leaving before the game ends. Still, I think this is a time to endure, and when we get a chance to win, we will do our best to win. I believe that if fans trust us and endure with us, there will come a day when we can play exciting baseball again."

Similarly, LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop, who also asked for fans' understanding, instructs players to play their best. Manager Yeom has always emphasized, "Even if players lack skill or make errors, they must do their best. Only then will fans accept even a heavy defeat. As long as I have the ability, I must show them a confident challenge and a winning attitude so that fans will applaud and wait for us."

Park Hae-min is one of the players who fully carries out the manager's instructions. Despite having a poor back and wearing a support belt in the dugout, he never hesitates to throw his body to catch any ball once he steps onto the field. Regarding this, Park Hae-min said, "My physical condition seems to have improved to about 80-90%. The training staff is managing me well, and the manager also removes me when the score difference becomes large. Personally, if I cannot play at 100% due to poor physical condition, I think it's right not to play that day. I only play because I can perform at 100% and say I can do it."

Even in games where his team is losing heavily, Park Hae-min exerts fighting spirit by thinking of his teammates on the mound. Recently, as LG's veteran relievers have struggled and spent time in the Futures League to regroup, young players are mostly called upon in losing games. Since they are not yet ready to face first-division players, they must be prepared to be sent to the minor league on days when they allow many runs.

Park Hae-min shared his true feelings: "Actually, pitchers who appear in games with a large score difference are mostly players who shuttle between the first and second divisions rather than the reliable relievers. If I carelessly field a ball in that situation and it leads to the pitcher's earned run, that pitcher could be sent to the minor league. That's why I am concentrating on defense just as I would in close games."

The winning captain's philosophy is that even more focus is needed when fielders' hitting is struggling. Park Hae-min emphasized, "I think fielders must help pitchers in defense during times like this. We must definitely cut off balls when we can, so pitchers can reduce their pitch count." He then added with a smile, "If we hold on and defend like this, we will surely have games like today (the 24th). And if we keep doing this, I believe there will come a time when we regain our baseball."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.