'Heatwave Cancellation' Kim Tae-hyung Delivers Sharp, Principled Remarks: "Too Many Games in Both First and Second Divisions"

*This content was translated by AI.

"The most important issue is that there are too many games."

Kim Tae-hyung (59), manager of the Lotte Giants, made sharp and principled remarks. This came during a media meeting at Busan Sajik Stadium shortly after the KBO League decided on an unprecedented two-day consecutive game cancellation due to extreme heat on the 5th.

When asked about the heatwave-related cancellations, Manager Kim stated, "The KBO (Korea Baseball Organization) will handle it accordingly. (Taking days off) is the same for all teams." He continued, "Even if temperatures reach 50 degrees Celsius, we would play if instructed. However, as I mentioned last week, it is crucial to assess and decide based on actual field conditions."

Due to extreme heat, Lotte's game against the Busan Samsung Lions was cancelled on the 1st, and the following day (the 2nd), the start time of their game was delayed by 30 minutes.

According to Korea Meteorological Administration's "Nari," as of 4:30 p.m. on the day games were cancelled, the temperature near Sajik Stadium stood at 30.9°C (feels like 31.4°C). A heat warning was in effect for central and western Busan, while a heat advisory was issued for eastern Busan. This was cooler than the previous day (the 4th) at 3:30 p.m., when temperatures reached 33.0°C (feels like 33.1°C). Lotte and Kiwoom Heroes players conducted their training on the field as scheduled.

Manager Kim Tae-hyung then raised the issue of game volume. He argued, "Even if games are cancelled, they will have to be rescheduled later anyway. Considering variables such as extreme heat, rainouts, and player injuries, the current number of games is simply too high." The decision to cancel games for the safety of both spectators and players implies that playing 144 games per team in a single season under the KBO League's current structure is overly demanding for athletes.

He also expressed concern about the excessive number of games in the Futures League. Manager Kim noted, "Although I have served as a second-division coach in the past, the number of Futures League games has increased significantly in recent years. While players soon to be promoted to the first division may need competitive experience, young players require more systematic training than additional games." Currently, each team in the Futures League plays 121 games per season, totaling 726 games league-wide.

While acknowledging that it would be difficult for either the KBO or players themselves to propose reducing the number of games due to various reasons, Manager Kim reiterated, "Given that temperatures are rising and South Korea has only one dome stadium (Gocheok), we must develop countermeasures and adjust the game schedule accordingly."

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*This content was translated by AI.