'Entering Dodgers Rotation' Lauer Says "Thanks to KIA" → Lee Beom-ho Reveals Behind-the-Scenes: "There Were No Complaints or Dissatisfaction in Our Team"

*This content was translated by AI.

"There were no complaints or dissatisfaction in our team."

Eric Lauer (31), who made a dazzling return to the MLB starting rotation in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform, praised his experiences with the KIA Tigers during the 2024 season as instrumental to his success. Meanwhile, KIA Tigers manager Lee Beom-ho (45) revealed the behind-the-scenes story.

On the 28th, ahead of the Kiwoom Heroes game at Gocheok Sky Dome, manager Lee Beom-ho met with reporters and shared the behind-the-scenes details regarding Lauer's recent interview in which he expressed deep gratitude to the KIA organization through foreign media outlets such as the New York Post.

Earlier, in an interview with the New York Post, Lauer said, "In the U.S., I suffered from velocity pressure (95 mph) and was ignored, but in Korea, I was given full trust by the KIA organization to pitch freely for three months without any interference." He added, "My experience in the KBO League completely rebirthed me," drawing widespread attention.

In response to StarNews's question, manager Lee Beom-ho smiled and recalled, "When Lauer first joined our team, he tried hard to bring about changes. At that time, he himself felt his pitch speed had decreased and was deeply troubled."

To revive Lauer's spirit, manager Lee Beom-ho chose 'unlimited autonomy' rather than 'interference.' The manager said, "Even during power analysis meetings, I told Lauer, 'Don't get too tied down to the catcher's lead; throw whatever pitches you want to throw on the mound.' I also told him that showing off his strengths was the best approach." It is interpreted that this was based on the judgment that if he only showed what he had, he would land smoothly in the KBO League.

Regarding Lauer's known dissatisfaction and sensitivity after returning to the U.S., where he alternated between starting and relief roles, manager Lee Beom-ho displayed his characteristic wit. When reporters brought this up, the manager said, "That was not the case in our team at all. It seems he was dissatisfied about not being given a starting role, but if we hadn't given him a start in our team, he might have been." This remark drew laughter from the.

In particular, he praised the organization's 'training department' as the true driving force behind Lauer's praise. Manager Lee Beom-ho said, "At that time, our training department paid immense attention to Lauer's arm care, exercise, and other detailed routines. They did not treat him superficially just because he was a foreign player; instead, they constantly called him in for exercise and treatment, approaching him with sincerity. This must have been new and touching for Lauer," expressing his pride.

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*This content was translated by AI.