"The biggest way to beat LG is..." KIA Manager Lee Beom-ho: Why he brought up Kwak Bin's name [Playoff 1 Game On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

KIA Tigers Manager Lee Beom-ho expressed his determination ahead of the decisive first game of the Wild Card Series (best-of-five) against the LG Twins.

The KIA will face the LG in the first game of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Postseason Wild Card Series at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field at 2 p.m. on the 17th.

The KIA finished the regular season in third place to secure an early spot in the Wild Card Series. After concluding their final regular-season game against the LG on the 12th, they took a four-day break before playing their first fall baseball game of the year against the LG.

Facing them, the LG finished the regular season in fourth place and advanced to the Wild Card Series by sweeping the Doosan Bears in the Wild Card Decider. The LG advanced to the Wild Card Series by winning the first game of the Wild Card Decider against the Doosan at Jamsil Stadium on the 14th with a score of 4-1. Although they had to play the Wild Card series, they have only played one game and have taken two days of rest.

Ahead of the game, Manager Lee, in an interview with reporters, explained regarding the batting order: "(Park) Jung-woo is feeling unwell and says it will be difficult for him to start today. I was torn between (Kim) Sun-bin and (Kim) Gyu-seong for the number two spot. However, Sun-bin has played more big games. Even though he was strong during the regular season, I judged that placing Sun-bin in the upper part of the order to connect to the middle of the lineup would yield a higher probability of scoring, so I put Sun-bin in the number two spot today."

On this day, the KIA set their starting batting order as follows: Park Jae-hyun (left fielder), Kim Sun-bin (designated hitter), Kim Do-young (third baseman), Castro (first baseman), Na Seong-beom (right fielder), Kim Gyu-seong (second baseman), Kim Ho-ryeong (center fielder), Kim Tae-goon (catcher), and Ha Ju-seok (shortstop). The starting pitcher is James Neal. It is notable that Kim Gyu-seong and Ha Ju-seok are pairing up as the keystone combination.

Manager Lee then stated, "I think the number one and two spots in the batting order are the most important. That is why I placed players who are relatively precise and can manage the game flow in those positions. I believe it is extremely important how we create opportunities as the lineup transitions from the number one and two spots to the three, four, and five spots," expressing his expectations.

Prior to this Wild Card Series, LG Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop warned that "stopping Kim Do-young is the most important thing." In response, Manager Lee pointed out, "Regardless of the circumstances, it is a game we must play to win. Also, unlike the regular season, how we handle the first at-bat and the first game is very important. In the postseason, players who hit well in the first game often maintain that feel in subsequent games as well. Ultimately, I believe whether our players can maintain good condition or decline through the second and third games will be determined by how we play the first game."

He continued, "I think when the opponent comes at us head-on, (Kim) Do-young will also respond with his best offense. And I believe Castro, (Na) Seong-beom, and other players on our team will fully fulfill their roles. It seems that the key player in the batting lineup will be (Kim) Do-young, and that is likely why he said so. We have prepared well accordingly. Do-young is a player who naturally performs very well on his own, so I think it is appropriate for me to focus more on other aspects of preparation."

How did Manager Lee view the first game of the Wild Card series between the LG and the Doosan? He said, "It looked like a matchup between young players and experienced players. In the case of the Doosan, many young players have grown, and it is a team that can continue to develop. On the other hand, the LG is a team with a lot of experience in big games, so I think that experience determined the outcome of this short series. Because LG players clearly have more big-game experience than Doosan players, their play was much more stable."

He then added, "It will be the same when we face the LG," stating, "To fight on equal terms with a team like the LG, it is extremely important for our players to maintain calmness. Minimizing mistakes is the biggest way to beat the LG. The LG is a team that leaves no gaps in big games, so if we do not create gaps ourselves and follow their lead well, I believe we can certainly put together a good game," reaffirming his determination.

If the KIA has Kim Do-young, the LG has Austin. Regarding the strategy to contain Austin, Manager Lee emphasized, "Preparing for him does not mean you won't hit him. Even Kwak Bin (Doosan Bears), who throws the best pitches in our country, gave up a home run on a curveball. We thoroughly analyze which pitches a batter is strong or weak against before a game, but in big games, tension and other factors can cause different changes in the pitch. Ultimately, we must look at the batter's hitting condition on the day. Even if we give Austin a home run, it is most important to create situations where we can limit damage with minimal runs without loading the bases. Also, the LG does not have just Austin. They are filled with players who have played big games, so you cannot win by stopping just one or two people. It is important to manage the game while looking at how to stop the entire opposing lineup."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.View Original