Shocking defeat, but unwavering faith

KIA Tigers coach Lee Beom-ho reaffirmed his unwavering trust in closing pitcher Jeong Hae-young, who sparked the team's upset loss in the opening game. Ahead of the game against SSG held at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 29th, Coach Lee said, "Jung Hae-young must continue to play the role of finisher," and "I hope he throws with a little more confidence because he is the team's finisher."

In the game the previous day, KIA was ahead 6-3 in the bottom of the 9th inning, and Jung Hae-young came on the mound and was on the verge of victory. However, Hae-Young Jeong caused a crisis by walking leadoff hitter Ji-Hoon Choi and then allowing a double to Sang-Hyun Ahn. He was replaced after Tae-gon Oh hit a timely hit with 2 RBIs, and Cho Sang-woo, who followed him, also collapsed, and the team suffered a 6-7 loss.

Causes of slump analyzed by the commander

Director Lee diagnosed the cause of Jung Hae-young's slump as 'excessive tension.' He said, “After the game, the coaching staff asked me about it, and it seemed like I was very nervous,” and “They said I couldn’t throw the ball hard because my strikes weren’t going well.”

Coach Lee emphasized Jeong Hae-young’s mindset as a finishing pitcher. “I told him that even if there are no strikes, the closing pitcher should throw hard and create a sense of intimidation,” he said. “I think he will throw well because there are no problems with his functionality or physical condition.”

Inducing psychological recovery with one day of rest

Director Lee plans to give Jung Hae-young one day of rest. “I think yesterday was a day where I felt a lot of things,” he said. “I think it would be better to let him cool off for a day, so I plan to let him rest if possible.”

The explosive power of the batting line was comforting

Even in the hurt of defeat, there were positive elements. Harold Castro had three hits, and Kim Do-young, Na Seong-beom, and Kim Sun-bin each recorded two hits, proving that the batting line was alive. In particular, Kim Sun-bin reportedly told coach Lee, “It was the game of my life.”

Coach Lee said, “I think those results are coming out in the game because senior players like Na Seong-beom and Kim Sun-bin have prepared very well since the camp,” and added, “When I watched the baseball game yesterday, the players were well prepared and I was very satisfied.” Although only the final result was disappointing, he expressed confidence in the team's overall performance.