'Do-young Tigers?' Lee Beom-ho was resolute: "In baseball, you can only score one run on your own"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Kim Do-young (23, KIA) can undoubtedly be named the star player who led the KIA Tigers to the playoffs (PO). In the three games of the wild card series against the LG Twins, he posted a .333 batting average (three hits in nine at-bats), with three home runs and eight RBIs.

Remarkably, all three of his hits were home runs. Moreover, he hit a go-ahead solo homer and a decisive two-run shot in Game 1, and delivered the game-winning bases-loaded home run in Game 3. All of them were dramatic and highly impactful performances that naturally drew exclamations of "What a superstar."

The wild card series MVP also went to him, as he secured a high vote share of 87 percent (84 out of 97 votes). It was no exaggeration to call it the "Do-young Tigers."

However, the manager's perspective was different. KIA Manager Lee Beom-ho (45), immediately after concluding the wild card series with a three-game sweep on the 20th, repeatedly emphasized in a press conference not only Kim Do-young but also the focus and performance of other batters.

In response to questions about Kim Do-young, the manager first said, "He is a player who seems to have an aura that suggests he will hit something when runners are on base, so I was thinking it would be great if Do-young could get one off in a bases-loaded situation."

He then immediately shifted the topic to other players. "The batters ahead of him did well," he said. "(Park) Jae-hyun produced a good hit against LG's left-handed pitcher Kennedy, which led to a big home run from Do-young as well." He firmly added, "Do-young has hit many home runs and had great games, but I believe his good home runs came about because the players ahead of him created equally good opportunities."

In the top of the second inning of that day's game, KIA took an early two-run lead thanks to Na Seong-beom's go-ahead solo home run, an error by the opposition, and hits from Kim Gyu-seong and Park Jeong-u. Although the LG bench removed starting pitcher KARAasco and brought in Kennedy, KIA added another run when first batter Park Jae-hyun hit a left-field RBI single. Then, with one out and the bases loaded, Kim Do-young's home run extended the score to 7-0.

Manager Lee Beom-ho continued his praise for the entire lineup. "There is an atmosphere where batters are trying to make contact and get on base by any means necessary," he said. "The players themselves are managing their condition very well." He expounded, "Baseball is a sport where you can only score one run at a time if you play alone. If we move well as a whole like this, we can score in bulk as we have been doing, and it also provides more stability for our pitchers."

This was by no means an attempt to downplay Kim Do-young's achievements. It was interpreted as an effort to highlight the importance of being a "one team" by emphasizing that he does not forget or fail to acknowledge the contributions of other players who work together and contribute toward victory.

In fact, in this wild card series, KIA was able to close out the series early with a three-game sweep because both the top and bottom of the lineup performed well, not just Kim Do-young, but also Ha Ju-seok (.500 batting average), Castro (.417 batting average, one home run), and Na Seong-beom (.364 batting average, two home runs). LG's Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop mentioned the names of several batters, stating, "KIA has a good flow at the plate because Kim Do-young, Park Jae-hyun, and their foreign hitter (Castro) are anchoring the lineup."

As such, since entering the postseason, KIA's entire lineup, not just Kim Do-young, is on an upward trend. Furthermore, by ending the wild card series in three games, they have secured a four-day rest period until Game 1 of the PO against Samsung on the 25th, which will also help their pitching staff recharge.

Manager Lee Beom-ho vowed, "This four-day break seems like it will be very helpful for us. We will calmly prepare our players well and manage their condition to play good games in the playoffs."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original