"If it hadn't been for Manager Lee Kang-cheol, I would have hit .300" The rookie shortstop from 30 years ago, who was bested by the opposing ace in the Korea Series, is now a manager and sets out for revenge! A rematch is set for the Korea Series

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

A rookie shortstop who was bested by the opposing team's ace in the Korea Series (KS) 30 years ago is now a manager and sets out for revenge. Lee Kang-cheol (60), KT Wiz manager, and Park Jin-man (50), Samsung Lions manager, both former Korea Series Most Valuable Players (MVPs), have finally met on the field.

Manager Lee Kang-cheol and Manager Park Jin-man attended the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO Korea Series media day held at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on the 2nd. It is the first time since the launch of the KBO League that two managers who have won the Korea Series MVP face each other in the series.

Their connection traces back exactly 30 years to 1996. At the time, Manager Lee Kang-cheol, the submarine ace for the Haitai Tigers, appeared in five games against the Hyundai Unicorns, recording a no-hitter victory included, with two wins, no losses, one save, an ERA of 0.56, and 13 strikeouts in 16 innings, to claim the Korea Series MVP.

His performance was phenomenal. In Game 3, he started and pitched a scoreless nine-inning no-hitter, allowing six hits and two walks. In Game 5, with Hyundai leading 3-1, he entered as a relief pitcher in the ninth inning with two outs and runners on second and third bases, recording the final out with one pitch to earn a save. He also started Game 6, pitching 5⅓ innings while allowing one run to secure the win, leading Haitai to their eighth championship in franchise history.

Interestingly, when Manager Lee Kang-cheol took the mound in Game 5, the batter at the plate was none other than Manager Park Jin-man. With a count of two balls and two strikes, Hyundai sent pinch hitter Lee Hee-seong in place of Manager Park Jin-man after Lee entered, but Lee struck him out, ending the game.

Manager Park Jin-man, a high school graduate who joined Hyundai in 1996, performed well in the regular season with a .283 batting average (102 hits in 361 at-bats) in 115 games, but in the Korea Series, he managed only a .118 batting average (two hits in 17 at-bats), one run batted in, and an OPS of 0.285 across six games.

Manager Park Jin-man recalled on the day, "I graduated from high school in 1996 and entered the pros, but Manager Lee Kang-cheol's pitches were like what I used to see in arcade games—they would come at you and suddenly disappear, then reappear." He added, "Even a few years later, when asked who was the hardest pitcher to hit against in the KBO League, I always said it was Manager Lee Kang-cheol." He continued with a smile, "My batting wasn't bad as a rookie. If it hadn't been for Manager Lee Kang-cheol, I might have hit .300, but I only managed .280."

Indeed, Manager Lee Kang-cheol was a representative submarine pitcher of the KBO League. He joined Haitai in 1989 and played until 2005, recording 152 wins, 112 losses, 53 saves, 33 holds, an ERA of 3.29, and 1,751 strikeouts in 2,204⅔ innings across 602 games in his career. Notably, he set the first and only record in KBO League history for double-digit wins and triple-digit strikeouts for 10 consecutive years.

Manager Park Jin-man also grew into a shortstop representing Korean baseball. Playing for Hyundai, Samsung, and SK, he recorded a .261 batting average, 1,574 hits, 153 home runs, and 781 runs batted in across 1,993 games in his career. Relying on excellent defense, he collected six Korea Series championship rings with Hyundai and Samsung.

Finally, in 2006, he himself became the Korea Series MVP. As a member of Samsung, facing the Hanwha Eagles, he recorded a .280 batting average (seven hits in 25 at-bats), two runs batted in, and four runs scored in six games. In particular, he hit the winning run in the 12th inning of extra innings in Game 3, and was recognized for his solid shortstop defense to claim the MVP. It had been exactly 10 years since Manager Lee Kang-cheol won the award.

Manager Lee Kang-cheol also remembered that time. He said, "Manager Park Jin-man appeared as a rookie shortstop in Hyundai's inaugural year. His defense was exceptionally good, and I remember watching him continue to grow as the games progressed." He reflected, "(In 1996) I was so happy to receive the MVP, which is what I had always wanted."

After 30 years have passed, the two now compete for a championship as managers. Manager Lee Kang-cheol led KT to their first-ever combined title in 2021, while Manager Park Jin-man aims to shake off the disappointment of finishing second in 2024 and reclaim Samsung's top spot after 12 years.

The predictions for this series' MVP from the managers who are former Korea Series MVPs were also interesting. While Manager Lee Kang-cheol said, "I hope all players perform so well that any of them could be the MVP," he added, "I hope Park Young-hyun gets four saves." In response, Manager Park Jin-man expressed his expectation, "Won Tae-in seems like he will receive it. He is performing well in the middle innings and is a player who can let out a final roar."

Manager Park Jin-man stated, "As a player, I have played many Korea Series games, but the difference between winning and finishing second is truly the difference between heaven and earth. In 2024 as well, there was the pain of finishing second after losing to KIA." He reaffirmed his resolve, saying, "I realized once again that in professional sports, being second is not enough; you need to be first."

Now, the two will compete for a championship again as managers, starting with Game 1 of the Korea Series on the 3rd at Suwon KT Wiz Park.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original