And yet, "it's not like his face is injured," and he charges at the ball wearing a mask... The coaching staff says, "We can feel his enthusiasm and fighting spirit," with expectations rising

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The Doosan Bears have staked everything on strengthening their infield defense for next season.

Doosan is currently in full swing with its closing camp in Miyazaki, Japan. Manager Kim Won-hyung introduced "Defense Day" at the Miyazaki closing camp last year, shortly after taking over as head coach.

At that time, one infielder per day was excluded from the afternoon team practice and received fungo hits equivalent to one yellow box (approximately 300 balls). This was done to boost defensive skills through focused training.

And this same scene continues at this year's Miyazaki closing camp as well.

This year, first division defensive coach Son Ji-hwan and Futures League defensive coach Seo Ye-il are jointly leading Defense Day.

First, the infielders conduct team fungo training focused on fundamentals in the morning. Following that, two players each handle approximately 300 balls in individual fungo training in the afternoon. The six infielders participating in the camp take turns (every three days) undergoing Defense Day.

According to a Doosan official, the coaching staff is increasing the intensity of the training by sending harder-hit balls at a faster pace than last year. Players are also actively engaging in the training, gasping for breath and shouting, "Please hit them harder."

To reduce players' fear of the ball, the coaching staff brought defensive masks from Korea. When players hesitate to charge at the ball, they are instructed to wear a mask before receiving fungo hits. The purpose is to help them practice approaching the ball without hesitation.

Defensive coach Son Ji-hwan said, "While increasing the volume of fungo hits for the infielders, we aimed to improve quality through customized balls. We can feel the players' enthusiasm and fighting spirit. I believe that defense grows noticeably depending on how much passion a player has and how much they practice. The sweat being shed now will lead to stable defense next season. I hope you all do your best until the very end."

Oh Myeong-jin shared his impressions, saying, "Since it is a full individual fungo session, we can try various things. Because hundreds of balls come with different bounces each time, we practice moving accordingly. We train by thinking about what movements were effective when catching the ball and what was lacking when missing it."

Im Jong-seong also said, "It is physically tough, but my handling becomes noticeably smoother when I am tired. Receiving many hits repeatedly builds confidence, and I can feel my body reacting naturally," adding, "Although it is difficult, I am grateful to the coaches who keep hitting fungo without a break."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original