"My legs are shaking": Choi Hyeong-woo's defensive burden met with Park Jin-man's trust: "He has extensive experience in big games, so I told him to prepare diligently"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Veteran Choi Hyeong-woo (43), who had candidly expressed his burden regarding outfield defense by saying "my legs are shaking" in contrast to his focus on batting, was met with a "firm belief" from Samsung Lions Manager Park Jin-man (50).

Samsung will face the KIA Tigers in Game 1 of the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Postseason Playoffs (PO, best-of-five series) on the 26th at Daegu Samsung Lions Park.

With the game postponed by one day due to the autumn rain that poured down the previous day (the 25th), the hottest topic for Samsung is how to utilize veteran slugger Choi Hyeong-woo.

The physical condition of "Captain" Koo Ja-yuk lies at the heart of this situation. Koo, who had been sidelined with a hamstring injury near the end of the regular season, has recovered and returned to the starting lineup, but it is still not easy for him to perform all-out sprints or outfield defense at 100% capacity. Given that his batting form is exceptionally good and he must be placed in the middle of the order, Koo has secured a spot as the designated hitter, leaving Choi Hyeong-woo to start from the bench as a pinch hitter.

The issue lies in the latter half of the game. After Choi Hyeong-woo comes in as a pinch hitter, with Koo Ja-yuk occupying the designated hitter slot, there is a realistic scenario where Choi may need to put on his glove and enter outfield defense depending on the situation.

Choi Hyeong-woo, who met with reporters the previous day (the 25th), elicited laughter with a candid confession that "my legs shake if I go out to defend," regarding Manager Park Jin-man leaving open the possibility of his outfield defensive deployment in the late game. He also revealed considerable burden about playing defense, stating, "Do I really need to go out for defense? It is right for me to come in as a pinch hitter, and there is no reason to change the lineup."

However, he was full of confidence regarding his batting form. Choi Hyeong-woo said, "There is no burden at all when I am in the batter's box. I might not hit well, but it is because I can approach it according to my style and method. The uneasy feeling from the end of the season has disappeared, so now I am in a state where I can take the swings I want," emphasizing his power with the bat.

Manager Park Jin-man, met ahead of the game on the 26th, smiled upon hearing about Choi Hyeong-woo's "whiny sense of burden" but shared behind-the-scenes stories from training sessions. This is because, given the reality that Koo Ja-yuk cannot play defense, the card of deploying Choi Hyeong-woo defensively can by no means be excluded.

Manager Park said, "I am constantly talking with (Choi) Hyeong-woo during training," adding, "There is something I keep instilling in Hyeong-woo. It is that 'we do not know when he will go out to defend.'"

Manager Park continued, "I told Hyeong-woo, 'It does not end with just being a pinch hitter. You could be sent out to defense at any moment, so do not let your defensive tension drop during training and prepare diligently.'" The manager has already meticulously calculated the scenario where, after coming in as a pinch hitter in late-game chasing situations where the score gap needs to be narrowed, Choi may need to remain in the left fielder position and take responsibility for defense depending on the flow of the game.

At the same time, he did not hide his deep trust in the veteran with extensive experience. Manager Park stated, "Rather than being disappointed that he cannot start, as a player who has experienced many big games at Navy Headquarters, he knows better than anyone that the team comes first," and expressed gratitude by adding, "He also knows that in a short series, defense alone can determine victory or defeat, so he is quietly and diligently preparing from behind."

Choi Hyeong-woo, who waved his hands saying "my legs shake if I go out to defend," and Manager Park Jin-man, who encouraged him by saying "prepare for defense as well since you are a player with extensive big-game experience." With the manager's cold calculation and the veteran's dedication intertwining, Samsung's autumn baseball begins vigorously.

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

*This content was translated by AI.View Original