“I don’t know how I played baseball because I was so nice” … Doosan Mound with Holes, Lee Byung-Hun is the Future
Lee Byung-hun struck out with a slider against Oh Jae-il,
pitched in 7 games in this demonstration game… Will Lee Byung-hun repay the trust of Doosan, who ventured into the 1st nomination despite an injury
as a player with excellent character who seems to play the role of left-hander Pil Seung-jo?
Jamsil Baseball Stadium on March 25th. Passing by the dugout, I greeted Lee Byung-hun, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, and asked for a handshake. Lee Byung-hun recognized the reporter and said “Hello” and politely took off his hat and held out his hand. A Doosan Bears official who was with him said, “Jae is so kind. I don’t know how he got through his life as a baseball player because he was so kind,” he says, pointing to Lee Byung-hun.
Lee Byung-hun graduated from Seoul High School and joined the Doosan Bears as the first choice two years ago.
Since his sophomore year at Seoul High School, he has been nicknamed ‘Two Byung-hun’. This is because he already threw a ball that reached 148 km / h even though he was a lefty in his sophomore year. In fact, he was also a player who was so-called ‘steamed’ by current team leader Yoon Hyuk since his school days at Yeongdong Middle School.
However, Lee Byung-Hun couldn’t throw the ball properly during his junior year due to elbow pain. During the practice game, he grabbed his elbow and went down (by the way, there was a reporter on the field that day), but the Doosan Bears didn’t care and nominated Lee Byung-hun. After that, he underwent surgery and rehabilitation to reach the present.
Currently, there is a significant gap in the Doosan mound. The general observation is that a struggle in the early stages is inevitable. ‘Dylan Pyle’ was hit in the head by a batted ball during camp and his current condition is unclear. Of course, it is a situation where I joined the team in the current state. He plays catch every day and carefully monitors his condition. The internal atmosphere is that it will be difficult to invest in the month of April.
However, the players who should fill Dylan’s place are not trustworthy. Park Shin-ji pitched as a starter against Samsung on March 25 and pitched 4 innings, 6 hits, 4 runs and 4 earned runs. Neither the title nor the position were trustworthy. Another candidate, Kim Dong-ju, also appeared in two games and is recording an earned run average of 13.50. Choi Seung-yong, who played as a relief last year, will change his position as a starter this year.
But salvation is also a problem. Park Chi-guk is like that. Park Chi-guk took the mound as a relief on March 26 and was replaced after giving 2 wild throws and 3 walks to 1 hit against 4 batters. Of course, it doesn’t matter how many points you give because it’s an exhibition game, but the process is too bad. He’d much rather take hits and score points.
On March 26, Lee Byung-hun came to the mound to face Jae-il Oh after 2 outs in the 6th inning against Samsung. He recorded speeds of as low as 144 km/h to as high as 147 km/h, and struck out Jaeil Oh with a slider of 130 km/h on a count of 3-2. Still, the pitches are a bit jagged, but it’s not bad as it’s just the beginning. He is a left-handed resource that can go well over 150km/h.
Lee Byung-hun’s presence this season is too important. As if to disprove this, manager Lee Seung-yeop made Lee Byung-hun pitch in as many as 7 games. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that he appears in almost every game. This means that the role that Lee Byung-hun has to take on is very important now that there is no left-hander. 안전놀이터
Lee Byung-hun has excellent baseball skills, but in the language of the younger generation these days, he is a player with ‘personality tools at the highest level’. An official from Seoul High School, who spent three years with Lee Byung-hun, said, “Seoul High School players have strong personalities. This is because it is a school where players who are very good at baseball come to, and the autonomy is strong. In the midst of that, if you had to pick two players who were the nicest, it would definitely be Lee Byung-hun and Lee Jae-hyun.” As much as he is, he is a player loved by those around him. When he missed the 2019 Phoenix Standing Championship due to responsibility, he cried and made others feel sorry for him.
Now is the era where personality is also competitive. When there are many success stories among players with excellent personality, personality is considered more important in the scouting process. This is why the Doosan Bears coaching staff and officials all eagerly hope for Lee Byung-hun’s leap forward.
