"How do you write Park Ji-hwan's position? What's your backup plan?" asked SSG
"How do you write Park Ji-hwan's position? What's your backup plan?" asked SSG
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It failed to advance to the postseason in 2024. Considering that the team that won the wire-to-wire title in 2022 and the third place team in the regular season in 2023, the downward trend continues. SSG is aiming to break that decline in 2025 and take a leap forward. In other words, you must fill in the areas that you were disappointed about last year during the offseason before entering the season. You need to work harder than others.
Last year, the mound was a problem for SSG regardless of starting pitcher and bullpen, and fielders failed to maintain constant performance due to the absence of backup players. To sum up, the problem was the player base. As there are veteran players who are still leading the team, we are thirsty for new players who share their luggage and sometimes replace them. The topic of the first-team camp naturally leading to Florida and Okinawa, and the Kagoshima Futures Team (second-team) camp, which will start around February 10, is also focused on this.
As the training is being conducted in an invisible place, it is natural for fans to be curious about the progress and achievements so far. The questions that were asked through the SNS of the reporter were comprehensively summarized from various angles, including the manager, coaching staff, front, and players. The fans asked. SSG answered.
Q) How is Cho's preparation? Are you practicing other types of ball games?
Manager Lee decided to finalize Cho's position this year. It is true that Lee had been considering switching to a starting pitcher since the middle of last year. He is also a highly likely starter, and the fact that all five of his competitors are incomplete was another factor to be considered. However, he has confirmed that he is a talent who can grow up with the completion of his 30 saves, and decided to maintain his position as a finishing pitcher for now. Five starting pitchers are important, but long-term team finishes are also important. If he grows up with the completion of his 30 saves, he can be as valuable as a starting pitcher.
Since he pitched in a lot of innings last year and was also called up to the national team after the season, there were concerns about his shoulder condition. He apparently accumulated a lot of fatigue. However, he is showing confidence in his physical condition and has displayed good pace by throwing fast balls up to 144 kilometers per hour in bullpen pitching at the beginning of the camp. The coaching staff seems to be relieved, saying, "If you have a problem with your shoulder, elbow, or body, you can't throw that fast ball at this stage."
Last year, Cho pitched powerful fastballs, curves that he used to throw well, and newly equipped splitters. He said that his repertoire will not change much this year as well. He is trying to throw sliders, but he is not expected to become a decisive ball ahead of folk balls or curves right away. Instead, he is focusing on improving the completeness of the two pitches he originally threw. I am talking a lot about curve grip and sense with Chung Dong-yoon, who learned how to throw curves in the U.S.
Q) I wonder if the Jihoon Choi player is well prepared for the season
Jihoon Choi is one of the most acclaimed players in Lee's camp. He has shown some ups and downs in batting, but he is confident that he will produce good results this year at his current pace. Jihoon Choi is a player who shows strong performance in body balls, but he also has disadvantages in that many balls float without strength in the right side because the so-called right side is not wide. However, he has been undergoing a process of revising the hitting mechanism with coach Kang Byung-sik since mid-season last year, and the process is now considered to be in the completion stage.
The coaching staff consistently evaluates that the quality of batting has also improved significantly by creating timing to deal with both balls on the body and outside. Some predict that the team can expect an outcome higher than last year's in terms of batting average this year. Coach Lee Sung-yong also plans to use the results of Jihoon Choi as a reference for judging the batting order. He is a perfect player and this is the most ideal scenario for a team, but the team does not have much time to spare. There is a chance that he will start from the top this year as well. If other players show higher batting performance, he will be able to lower his Jihoon Choi to the bottom, which will help him manage his physical stamina.
Analysts say he is leading the players well by leading the training atmosphere as well as others, demonstrating his leadership. Until the beginning of the camp, he is one of the leading candidates for MVP in the first camp.
Q) Is Kim Geon-woo's rehabilitation complete? What is the coaching staff's evaluation?
He underwent elbow surgery at Sangmu and underwent rehabilitation for about a year and two months. When he joined the team after being discharged from the military, he was in the Futures team facility because he was not physically fit, and was evaluated as not showing good pitching until the Kagoshima wrap-up camp. This is why the coaching staff thought it was a hidden card half a season later, rather than an immediate competition to be selected as the starting pitcher. However, the offseason player himself made hard efforts to achieve remarkable pace-ups. Now, he is competing for the fifth starting pitcher. He even said that he is the best among the five candidates based on the current pace.
Kim Geon-woo himself has no pressure on his elbow and is determined to win the starting competition and enter the top division even if he is prepared with a slight over-face. Manager Lee is paying attention to the fact that Kim Geon-woo is a candidate who has completed his military service. Moreover, if he establishes himself as a lefty, it will be the most ideal picture for a team as well. It remains to be seen whether he can continue this pace until the opening of the season, but even if he is eliminated from the starting competition, he is considering how to use it in the bullpen.
If the fifth starter is decided to be a right-hander, coach Lee Sung-yong's plan is that he can use Kim Gun-woo as a long reliever to attach him to the back. Looking at the current pitching, he is aware of the competitiveness when using it as a starter and when using it as a bullpen, and he has raised expectations to the extent that opinions within the coaching staff are actively expressed on which areas of the position need to be supplemented.
Q) Which position is Park Ji-hwan focusing on in his defensive training?
Q) What are the utilization plans for rookies in 2024 and 2025?
Lee's plan was to maximize the use of Park Ji-hwan since the Kagoshima camp. For this reason, he has been constantly preparing for multiple positions. Lee believes that the proportion of Choi Jeong's designated hitters will increase this year. The calculation is that when Choi Jeong plays as a designated hitter, Park Ji-hwan will be played as a third baseman and Park Sung-han will play as a shortstop when he needs to rest. Sometimes, the team leaves open the possibility of using it as a right fielder when outfielders get tired. If the team has a good batting sense, Lee will also play as a designated hitter. Lee's plan is that if the player is sluggish, he may not know, or if not, he will not be able to put him on the bench.
Third base is the most important defense training, followed by shortstop. Right field is in order. Right field is mostly based on catches during the extra period. The coaching staff assesses that he has strong shoulders and follows well. Since it is important to gain experience, Lee plans to have more players in right field until exhibition games. However, there is no change yet that when the season starts, it will be used more as third base and shortstop than as opposed to outfielders. Whether to put it in the infield or send it to the outfield using the bat material has been postponed to a long-term perspective. This year could be a test. Basically, the hitting mechanism has been changed a little since the Kagoshima camp, and the player is very satisfied with this timing. Camps are continuously progressing in that direction. He is the most anticipated player for this year.
Among the 2024 rookies, Jung Joon-jae is expected to be the main second baseman. Manager Lee is planning to start Jung Joon-jae as the main second baseman this year, while the batting order will also be in the upper ranks. It is not known whether he will be the first or second basemen, but he is expected to play an important role. Analysts say that he prepared hard during the offseason, giving the impression that he has gotten bigger despite his small physique. Choi is currently competing for the fifth starting pitcher. "The ball is good" not only from the coaching staff but also from his seniors. It is not necessary, but he is currently the No. 1 player in the lineup. He is expected to play more than last year.
Among the rookie players in 2025, catcher Lee Yul-ye is expected to become a talent who will succeed early on. Some say that he has nothing to compare among catchers of his age in terms of basic defense skills, leadership and disposition. However, offense is a variable, which he continues to practice. Left-hander Shin Ji-hwan is not fast on the ball, but his strength is that he has good deception and swing that make it difficult for batters to grasp the swing of his arm. He is challenging the left-hander bullpen competition. Cheon's heavy pitching is impressive. His speed at the beginning of the bullpen pitching was not that fast at around 140 kilometers per hour, but he threatened the best players in the team in the vertical movement. Expectations are high that he will become a good starting resource in the future if he builds up his body more.
However, there is a lot of internal discussion on whether to use rookie players in the first team immediately or give the Futures team (second team) time to prepare calmly. Some say that if it is not at the level of ranting that it is definitely helpful in the first team, it is better to give them time to build their bodies a little more slowly and adapt to professional life. As all three players are not at the level where they are definitely in the first team, they can draw a picture of themselves as reserve resources and after the middle of the season.
Q) What kind of backup players are being discussed by position?
Q) Who are the promising players in the outfield?
Q) What are the utilization plans of backup players such as Ahn Sang-hyun, Lee Jung-beom, Choi Jun-woo, and Kim Chan-hyung?
First of all, Lee Ji-young (catcher), Ko Myung-joon (first baseman), Jung Joon-jae (second baseman), Park Sung-han (striker), Choi Jung (third baseman), Guillermo Herredia (left fielder), Jihoon Choi (middle fielder), and Han Yu-sum (right fielder) are among the players who are confirmed or most likely to be the main players in the coaching staff plan. This year, the designated batters will be used in turns, and Choi Jung, Herredia, and Han Yu-sum are expected to share them. Oh Tae-gon and Park Ji-hwan are essential players among the eight players, so a total of 10 players are expected to take their seats, while veteran Kim Sung-hyun and backup catcher Cho Hyung-woo and Q) Park Ji-hwan are training their defense positions?
Q) What are the utilization plans for rookies in 2024 and 2025?
Lee's plan was to maximize the use of Park Ji-hwan since the Kagoshima camp. For this reason, he has been constantly preparing for multiple positions. Lee believes that the proportion of Choi Jeong's designated hitters will increase this year. The calculation is that when Choi Jeong plays as a designated hitter, Park Ji-hwan will be played as a third baseman and Park Sung-han will play as a shortstop when he needs to rest. Sometimes, the team leaves open the possibility of using it as a right fielder when outfielders get tired. If the team has a good batting sense, Lee will also play as a designated hitter. Lee's plan is that if the player is sluggish, he may not know, or if not, he will not be able to put him on the bench.
Third base is the most important defense training, followed by shortstop. Right field is in order. Right field is mostly based on catches during the extra period. The coaching staff assesses that he has strong shoulders and follows well. Since it is important to gain experience, Lee plans to have more players in right field until exhibition games. However, there is no change yet that when the season starts, it will be used more as third base and shortstop than as opposed to outfielders. Whether to put it in the infield or send it to the outfield using the bat material has been postponed to a long-term perspective. This year could be a test. Basically, the hitting mechanism has been changed a little since the Kagoshima camp, and the player is very satisfied with this timing. Camps are continuously progressing in that direction. He is the most anticipated player for this year. 먹튀검증
Among the rookies in 2024, Jung Joon-jae is expected to be the main second baseman.