"There should have been no swing and miss." The full story of the shocking double play in a 1-out, 1st-and-3rd situation, revealed to be a 'hit-and-run' by NC Dinos manager Lee Ho-jun [Changwon]

*This content was translated by AI.

It was a painful double play in a one-run game. However, Lee Ho-jun (50), the NC Dinos manager, did not classify the double play as a simple individual error. Instead, he expressed concern that his players had become rigid due to their desire to win.

Manager Lee Ho-jun reflected ahead of the Changwon LG Twins game on the 16th, saying, "It was a situation where we could not afford a swing and miss. When we called for a hit-and-run, it was more important to make contact with the ball than to avoid swinging."

The situation referred to by the manager occurred in the bottom of the 8th inning on the previous day (15th) during NC's game against LG, with one out and runners on first and third. At that time, trailing 0-3, NC had quickly closed the gap to a one-run deficit thanks to Blaine Cream's two-run home run. This was followed by a walk from Kim Hwi-jip and a left-center field hit from Park Geon-woo, placing runners on first and third. Substituted runner Oh Tae-yang advanced to third base with one out, creating a 1-out, 1st-and-3rd situation. A single would have tied the game, while extra-base hits could have taken the lead.

However, the opportunity vanished in an instant. The moment Seo Ho-cheol swung and missed at Seo Ho-jun's pitch for a strikeout, catcher Lee Ju-heon immediately threw to third base. Oh Tae-yang, who was far from the base, hurriedly returned, but third baseman Koo Bon-hyuk applied the tag quickly. The double play, combining a strikeout and a double play, ended NC's 8th-inning offense immediately, and they ultimately failed to overturn the one-run deficit.

On the surface, it appeared as though the runner from third base took too large a lead in a 1-out, 1st-and-3rd situation and was thrown out. However, the manager's explanation ahead of the LG game on the 16th was different. It was a scene where NC deliberately engaged in a play to tie the score. Manager Lee explained, "It was already a hit-and-run call. Since the runner from third base must survive at home if a ground ball occurs, taking a large lead was unavoidable."

The key lay in the agreement between the batter and the runner. Manager Lee stated, "When the hit-and-run play is called, batters have trained to make contact with the ball rather than trying to hit it hard, aiming for a light bunt-like feel." However, Seo Ho-cheol's bat failed to make contact, causing all calculations to go awry.

Manager Lee added, "Regardless, we created a situation where at least one run could score if the ball was just hit. We only needed it to be rolled. It is a play based on mutual trust. The batter must hit the ball, and the runner starts based on that trust. But when one part went wrong, everything went wrong together."

LG was also prepared. As soon as Lee Ju-heon caught the ball, he chose third base instead of second, and Koo Bon-hyuk immediately prepared to apply a tag. Manager Lee remarked with a wry smile, "From the third-base dugout, you can see the runner's lead. LG likely had signals like 'Just in case, throw to third immediately if caught. Don't look at second base; shoot straight to third.'"

Nevertheless, he did not regret the strategic move. With a fast runner on first, there was a possibility that even if the batter missed a breaking ball that bounced once, the runner from first could advance to second. It was also a situation that could put pressure on the opposing pitcher. Manager Lee emphasized, "It is a game of probability. Every manager and coach has their own style. Some teams play safely, but we tend to be more bold."

While calmly identifying the cause of the failed strategy, he did not stop at scolding for a single mistake. Instead, reflecting on the previous day's game, his concern was that the players were afraid of making mistakes. Currently, NC is in sixth place, 3.5 games behind fifth-place Doosan Bears. Although they have the most remaining games at 18, a 3.5-game gap is not easy to overcome. As the competition for the top five intensifies, the burden on NC players has naturally increased.

Manager Lee said, "Overall, I felt there was some pressure on the players. They showed signs of thinking 'we must win' or 'I cannot make a mistake here.'" He continued, "After the game ended, I thought the players were trying too hard to do something, which led to rigid movements. I felt they needed to play more comfortably."

The outcome was decided by one swing and miss and one double play. However, Manager Lee did not want the players to step back onto the field carrying the burden of the previous day's mistake. He encouraged them, saying, "Yesterday is yesterday, and today is today. Today, we will ensure the players do not carry that burden. We just need to play as we normally do."

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*This content was translated by AI.