"Fans might feel disappointed if they hear this..." Doosan's manager expressed satisfaction despite being stuck at a "win-loss margin of 0" for over two months. "Why is this happening?"

*This content was translated by AI.

Doosan Bears manager Kim Won-hyung (54) expressed satisfaction despite maintaining a .500 winning percentage for over two months.

Ahead of the Jamsil Lotte game on the 2nd, when asked by reporters about his thoughts on the first half, manager Kim Won-hyung stated, "I have my own standards. You could call it ambition, but I believe we shouldn't judge this year's performance based on last year's results. Just because we didn't perform well last year doesn't mean finishing 5th or 6th this year would be considered a success."

He is the commander of a team that achieved a wire-to-wire championship, never relinquishing first place throughout the regular season. For such a commander, achieving better results than the previous year was not easily met with satisfaction. Manager Kim Won-hyung said, "I approach every game with the mindset that it's important. Even though we lost yesterday (on the 1st), I still believe our team can rise higher while reflecting on my own mistakes."

Last year, Doosan recorded 61 wins, 6 draws, and 77 losses, finishing 9th in the league. This led to Kim Won-hyung being appointed as the new manager. As of the conclusion of games on the 2nd this year, the team had 40 wins, 2 draws, and 39 losses, remaining stuck at a .500 winning percentage for over two months. The last time their win-loss margin exceeded ±5 was on April 28. Throughout the first half, Doosan failed to significantly deviate from a win-loss margin of 0.

However, there were gains within this situation. Despite challenges such as the absence of the foreign starting pitcher and consecutive injuries among key players, young talents like Park Jun-soon (20), Kim Min-seok (22), Ryu Seung-min (22), and Choi Min-seok (20) gradually showcased their potential. The sight of these young players rising again amid ups and downs also changed the manager's perspective.

Despite being in his second professional year, Park Jun-soon recorded a batting average of .323 (62 hits in 192 at-bats), 9 home runs, 33 RBIs, 24 runs scored, and 2 stolen bases across 48 games. He also achieved an on-base percentage of .372, a slugging percentage of .547, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of .919, firmly establishing himself as a regular second baseman.

Kim Min-seok and Ryu Seung-min, both traded from Lotte Giants and Samsung Lions respectively, prompted Doosan to decide against retaining foreign batter Daz Cameron, who had an OPS of .833. Kim Min-seok played in 73 games with a batting average of .322 (75 hits in 233 at-bats), 4 home runs, 30 RBIs, 35 runs scored, and an OPS of .846. Ryu Seung-min appeared in 16 games, recording a batting average of .327 (18 hits in 55 at-bats), 3 RBIs, 8 runs scored, and an OPS of .813.

Manager Kim Won-hyung shared his thoughts: "There is definitely a process for young position players to grow. Recently, I've noticed their performances improving gradually, which feels new to me. In the past, I believed age didn't matter in the first division. Whether someone makes mistakes at 20 or 35, they should be treated equally—not forgiven for being young and harshly judged for being older."

A prime example is Choi Min-seok. From January to April, he recorded 3 wins with no losses across 5 games, posting an ERA of 1.82. However, in May, he struggled with 1 win and 2 losses over 5 games, raising his ERA to 5.04. He regained his form and finished June with a 0.84 ERA across 5 games, delivering a turnaround performance that dispelled concerns about the "second-year jinx."

Manager Kim Won-hyung added, "My perspective has shifted slightly now. I feel young players need to work even harder. So, I've decided to let go of some expectations regarding their stats. Although our team's winning percentage continues to fluctuate around .500, the young players are performing well." He continued with a smile, "Fans might feel disappointed if they hear this. However, we see potential in these young players. They are working hard on the field and meeting my expectations. Of course, I do wish for even more ambition from them."

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*This content was translated by AI.