"Kim Do-young is truly a great player; I hope the criticism stops": The "National Batter" who endured boos knows best, unwavering faith despite struggles in Korea-Japan matchup [Jamsil on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Former Doosan Bears manager Lee Seung-yeop (50), known as the "National Batter," defended Kim Do-young (23, KIA Tigers) for his underwhelming performance in the Korea-Japan game the previous day (the 13th).

Speaking to reporters ahead of the "Jamsil The Last Inning" game held at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 14th, former manager Lee emphasized, "It is true that Kim Do-young was struggling yesterday (the 13th), but there is a problem with evaluating him based on just one game."

Kim Do-young has struggled to show his usual form at the 2026 Asia Pro Baseball Championship (APBC). In the first preliminary game against Australia on the 12th, he went hitless in four at-bats with one run batted in, and Korea suffered a 7-8 comeback loss.

In the game against Japan on the 13th, he recorded one hit and one walk in four at-bats, but the expected extra-base hits did not come. However, leading off the top of the eighth inning while trailing 1-5, he drew a walk and used his quick legs to avoid a double play on An Hyun-min's grounder, setting the stage for a comeback. Subsequently, Han Dong-hee delivered an RBI hit and Kim Hwi-jip hit a tying three-run homer, but Korea allowed a decisive three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning, losing 5-9. They also failed to break their streak of 12 consecutive losses (one draw, 11 defeats) against Japan since the semifinal of the 2015 Premier12.

Given his performance on the domestic stage, it is hard not to feel disappointed. In 2024, Kim Do-young led KIA to a double championship with a .347 batting average, 38 home runs, 109 RBIs, and 40 stolen bases, earning the Regular Season Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

Last year, he was limited to 30 games due to a hamstring injury, but this year he made a spectacular comeback with a .308 batting average (153 hits in 496 at-bats), 45 home runs, 118 RBIs, and 120 runs scored in 135 games, along with an OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) of 1.060. He won the double crown for home runs and slugging percentage (.647) and claimed the Series MVP by smashing three home runs and eight RBIs in the Junior Playoffs.

Even while wearing the national team uniform, he shone in crucial moments. In March's World Baseball Classic (WBC) game against Taiwan, he was solely responsible for three RBIs with a go-ahead two-run homer and a tying RBI double. At the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in September, he overcame a fractured nose bone to compete and drove in the winning run with an RBI hit in the top of the eighth inning of the final against Japan, leading Korea to its fifth consecutive title.

However, the process was not smooth even then. Kim Do-young, who had struggled throughout the tournament, repeatedly expressed his apologies on his social media despite winning the gold medal. After returning home, he also revealed, "Many people told me not to blame myself, so I am no longer blaming myself; I came back with my chest out and standing tall."

This aspect of Kim Do-young's career resembles former manager Lee's time as a national team player. Former manager Lee is the batter who left behind the most dramatic international tournament home run in Korean baseball history. He hit the winning hit in the bronze medal match against Japan at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and at the 2006 WBC, he hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning while trailing 1-2 in the Round 1 matchup against Japan.

Above all, the 2008 Beijing Olympics are an indispensable part of his baseball life. At the time, former manager Lee suffered from severe batting struggles throughout the preliminary round. In the semifinal against Japan, he bowed his head after striking out and hitting into a double play in his first three at-bats. He even heard boos from the stands telling him to "get out of the game."

However, in the bottom of the eighth inning with the score tied at 2-2, he hit a dramatic winning two-run homer against Japan's left-handed pitcher Hitoki Iwase. Korea won 6-2, and former manager Lee burst into tears after the game. He then hit a lead-off winning two-run home run in the final against Cuba, leading Korea to a gold medal with nine consecutive wins.

At his retirement in 2017, former manager Lee reflected, "That home run I hit at the Olympics allowed me to continue playing baseball." It was a word of comfort from a senior who better than anyone knows what struggles and criticism weigh on a player, and what a single decisive performance means.

He has not withdrawn his faith in Kim Do-young. Former manager Lee explained, "I think he is a type of batter rarely seen in our country, considering the performance he showed during the season and the results he posted in truly important pennant races. In international tournaments, there are adaptation issues, and since it is an opponent we have not faced before, they are unfamiliar pitchers. Since the leagues are different, I think that is probably the biggest reason." He further emphasized, "If he adapts or is in good condition, Kim Do-young is truly a great player."

When asked to compare him to himself at age 23, former manager Lee did not hold back his praise. "Compared to when I was 23, Kim Do-young now is a completely different model," he said. "In my view, he has it all. Offense, defense, baserunning, star quality, clutch ability, and even his looks—he is handsome. I think he is the most complete player in our country at this point."

Korea will play its final APBC preliminary game against Taiwan at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, at 7 p.m. on the 14th. After falling to two consecutive losses, Korea must win to keep alive the possibility of advancing to the final. Former manager Lee expressed hope for his junior's turnaround, saying, "Since there is a game today (the 14th), I think he will perform well."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original