'Appears passive,' Yeom Kyung-yeop's advice → LG promising player responds: "We will show more passion at the baseball stadium"

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Young-bin (24), the hero of the decisive hit that secured the 50th win for LG Twins in the 2026 season, has returned with a dramatic comeback home run and a more mature demeanor. He expressed his determination to work even harder while showing understanding of Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop's (58) pointed advice.

On the 2nd, Lee Young-bin started as the eighth batter and shortstop in an away game against Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in the '2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League,' recording two hits, one RBI, and one run in four at-bats to lead his team to a 7-5 victory. This was thanks to a powerful, game-winning two-run double that sliced through left-center field against Jo Young-geon in the bottom of the sixth inning with no outs and runners on base while the score was tied 5-5.

In fact, Lee Young-bin could not simply smile after the game. During the defensive play in the bottom of the fifth inning when his team led 5-4, he fielded a ground ball hit toward shortstop by Park Chan-hyeok but committed a throwing error that allowed the opposing team to tie the score at 5-5. In a post-game interview, he candidly shared his feelings: "I made an error during the entire inning, which led to the tying run, so I was really shaken inside." However, he quickly added, "(In the fifth inning) there were still many innings left in the game and we had a chance to make up for it, so I decided to focus on what we could do," showing strong mental resilience.

The battle at the plate during the decisive hit moment also shone. Lee Young-bin, who identified that he was aiming for a fastball series in a two-ball count situation, said, "I showed late timing against high fastballs in my previous at-bat, so I prepared in advance," and added, "Recently, I changed my batting stance from leg kick to no-step, and it was a great help to ask my senior Hong Chang-gi about timing and get checked." He even expressed gratitude to his senior.

In fact, Lee Young-bin had briefly been sent down to the minor league at Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop's instruction in June. When asked by reporters on June 14 ahead of the Lotte Giants game about Lee Young-bin's return to the first division, Manager Yeom explained that his move to the minor league was not due to a lack of skill but was a measure to change his "attitude and style when approaching games."

Manager Yeom stated, "Young-bin is a player who plays baseball hard and has enough potential to grow, but sometimes he appears as if he is not playing hard during games. If this is left unchecked, it will easily lead to misunderstandings. It was not because we dislike the player; rather, we sent him down to give him a stimulus to change his style for his future baseball career." This was a request for change in his passive demeanor, such as calmly walking off after striking out.

Lee Young-bin nodded in agreement with the manager's pointed advice. After finishing the game on the 2nd, he said, "The manager told me, 'I know you work hard, but from the viewer's perspective, it may not look that way,'" and added, "Previously, I thought only that making too big gestures was bad, but I realized that expressing regret or shouting fighting is also part of baseball," conveying his changed mindset.

In fact, Lee Young-bin originally has a shy personality (MBTI 'I' type). When reporters asked, "Shouldn't you change your personality inside the baseball stadium?" he smiled and replied, "That's right. That's why I am trying to show a more energetic and passionate side at the baseball stadium. I consciously try to do more call-plays and fighting."

This season marked Lee Young-bin's 45th appearance on the field, surpassing his total number of games played in the entire 2025 season (44 games) within just the first half. The performances of his fellow backup players such as Cheon Seong-ho, Song Chan-ui, and Moon Jeong-bin served as a good stimulus for him. Lee Young-bin smiled, saying, "I wanted to be helpful to the team when given the chance, and I am proud to have contributed to the victory." If he maintains this pace, breaking his single-season record of most games played (72 games) set during his debut season in 2021 is just a matter of time.

Although he is establishing himself as a key member of the team, Lee Young-bin coldly gave himself a 'C' grade for the first half. He said, "There is much more I need to show going forward," and added, "I think what the team expects from me is not just playing baseball well, but also the energetic and passionate energy that emanates on the field. I will prepare well so that the team can win all remaining games in the first half."

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*This content was translated by AI.