'Above' is KIA, 'Below' is NC! Doosan Commander "I watched exactly two games yesterday (15th) by switching channels; I felt like I was playing"

*This content was translated by AI.

For a commander standing in the midst of a fierce battle for top five and mid-tier standings, games at other stadiums on rest days were by no means a relaxed "someone else's fight." Doosan Bears manager Kim Won-hyung (54) met with reporters ahead of the Samsung Lions game scheduled for the 16th at Jamsil Stadium, sharing vivid impressions of how he followed games held at other venues on the previous day (15th), which was a rest day for his team.

The current position of fifth-place Doosan (64 wins, 60 losses, 4 ties) is truly precarious. Above them sits fourth-place KIA Tigers, while sixth-place NC Dinos are closing in from below. The games held the previous day (15th), featuring NC vs. LG and KIA vs. SSG, were matchups directly tied to Doosan's standing battle.

When asked if he watched games at other stadiums on his rest day, Manager Kim began with a smile: "If there's nothing else to do at home, you have to watch."

He couldn't focus on just one game; instead, he constantly switched between two contests. "I watched almost all of yesterday's two games," the manager said. "I kept switching channels back and forth because I thought, 'This part will be more exciting at this timing,' so I'd flip to see it." He then added with a sigh, "It really felt like I was playing myself." It appeared he was referring to the game immediately above Doosan in the standings (KIA) and the one directly below (NC).

Amid the absence of players called up for the Asian Games representative team and a grueling schedule toward the season's end, the bench's calculations grew even more complex. "There is truly no definitive answer to contingency plans," Manager Kim admitted. "Normally, once September arrives, you build up a certain number of wins and focus only on teams above you, not those below. But right now, we must watch both above and below. That's why I had to pay even closer attention." This reflects the deep concern of a commander who must simultaneously guard against fourth-place challengers and maintain fifth-place standing.

However, Manager Kim Won-hyung ultimately made it clear that the solution to the standings battle lies in "self-reliance." He emphasized that rather than getting overly excited or depressed by results from other stadiums, Doosan's top priority must be winning their own upcoming games. "While watching yesterday's games, I had many thoughts," the manager stated firmly. "But ultimately, we simply need to play well ourselves. That is the most important thing."

Meanwhile, Doosan set its starting lineup against Samsung's starter Chris Paddack as follows: Park Chan-ho (shortstop), Park Ji-hoon (third baseman), Kim Min-seok (left fielder), Yang Eui-ji (catcher), Severino (designated hitter), Yang Seok-hwan (first baseman), Jo Soo-haeng (right fielder), Kang Seung-ho (second baseman), and Jung Soobin (center fielder). Doosan's starting pitcher was Benjamin, who is making his second appearance since returning from injury. Benjamin is expected to throw up to around 85 pitches today.

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*This content was translated by AI.