Lee Taek-geun's serious remarks: "What kind of baseball do the Heroes want to play?"

*This content was translated by AI.

"I want to ask what kind of baseball they are trying to play."

Lee Taek-geun (46), a 'legend' of Kiwoom Heroes and a former national team outfielder, poured out harsh words toward his former team, Kiwoom, which has fallen into a losing streak. He delivered a 'serious remark' representing the voices of fans who have silently supported the team, urging the organization to establish a clear direction.

Through a video posted on his YouTube channel 'Taekgeun Vlog' on May 31, Lee Taek-geun said, "Seeing Kiwoom fall into a long losing streak after five consecutive wins made me think a lot," and added, "The condition for a strong team is not about extending winning streaks, but about shortening the time spent in losing streaks."

He pointed out that the biggest problem currently facing Kiwoom is the 'lack of a clear team concept and direction.' Lee Taek-geun stated, "When watching their games, there is no team concept. Is this a team making massive investments to win immediately, a team aiming to win a championship in a few years by developing players, or a team that is thoroughly nurturing prospects from the Futures League? It is impossible to tell."

He continued, "Players' names and positions keep changing, to the point where even fans do not know the players well." He added, "If they are going to rebuild, they should close their eyes and focus on specific positions, giving prospects opportunities that meet the criteria, whether it's 100 games or 100 at-bats. There should be such a long-term direction, but I don't see any long-term plans."

He strongly criticized the issue of the league's most errors (currently 45 errors, ranking 2nd) caused by frequent position changes. Lee Taek-geun explained, "It is contradictory to expect young players with little experience to play well defensively while changing their positions every time. If players move to positions without proper preparation, it is natural that they cannot defend well." He also mentioned the difference in ceiling conditions between day and night at their home stadium, Gocheok Sky Dome, and advised that detailed training recognizing environmental characteristics should come before simple special defensive drills after games.

He also raised questions about the management of pitcher roles. Adding his perspective as a member of the National Team's Performance Enhancement Committee for the Asian Games, Lee Taek-geun analyzed young pitchers such as catcher Kim Geon-hee (22) and left-handed pitcher Park Jeong-hoon (20). He evaluated, "Park Jeong-hoon is a unique reliable middle reliever type with a messy ball end and a wild form, but suddenly switching him to a starter during the season diluted his strengths and raised his ERA, leaving a regrettable gap in the national team's starting lineup." He also stated, "It is difficult to understand why Ha Young-min, who has a customized starter routine, was moved to the middle relief. The performance of both players would be maximized if their roles were swapped."

The reason Lee Taek-geun chose to make such blunt criticism is solely out of love for his former team and for the fans. He expressed regret, saying, "Even when I was the team captain, high school players wanted to join the Heroes the most. I want to ask the organization if that is still the case today."

Finally, Lee Taek-geun said, "In a media environment that revolves around popular teams, the Kiwoom organization is always at a disadvantage and is slipping out of the spotlight. I know better because I have done broadcasting. Even if I get criticized, I must bring up these negative stories to create an issue so that the organization feels pressure and changes. I ask fans to actively voice their opinions and show interest so that the Heroes can develop into a better organization. The Heroes are a team I truly love."

Lee Taek-geun played professionally from the 2003 season to the 2020 season, accumulating records in 1,651 games with a batting average of 0.302 (5,361 at-bats, 1,621 hits), 136 home runs, and 773 RBIs. At the end of a conflict with the Kiwoom organization in his final active season, the 2020 season, he was released in November 2020. He held a retirement ceremony without spectators, hosted by then-junior players including Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants). Since 2024, he has been actively working as a commentator, covering the field.

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*This content was translated by AI.