Will the ‘Blue Dragon’ bring fall baseball to Busan after seven years?
The year 2024, the 41st year of the Chinese zodiac, is the Year of the Blue Dragon.
At this time, there is a player of the Year of the Dragon in Busan’s arms. This year, veteran Kim Min-sung (36) joined the team via sign-and-trade.
Lotte manager Kim Tae-hyung identified Kim as his top priority to fill the void left by Ahn Chi-hong, who left as a free agent, and succeeded in signing him. He is the No. 1 candidate for the starting second base position. He is an all-around utility veteran who can cover every position in the infield besides second base. Last year, he led the LG Twins to their first Korean Series title in 29 years and will bring his “dragon energy” to Busan.
With the exception of Kim Min-sung, all of Lotte’s dragon players were born in 2000.
Among them, Go Seung-min, who heralded a resurgence this season, is the first.
He was called a promising hitter from the start. His bat speed, which ranks first and second in the league, raised expectations. He unleashed his potential in the second half of 2022 with a batting average of 4.1P4R (53 hits in 128 at-bats), but slumped to 2.2P4R last year.
A position change is a painful one. Originally an infielder, he moved to right field in 2022 after his military discharge. Last year, he played first base due to team circumstances, and he also trained as a second baseman in the final camp last year. 온라인카지노 He is in a position where he has to show his unique value in order to settle in one place.
There is also Seo Dong-wook, who dreams of becoming a foster player myth. Seo wore a Lotte uniform last year as a developmental player, but he quickly earned a spot on the roster. He batted .221 (71 hits in 221 at-bats) with nine home runs for the Futures.
The club was also excited to include Seo on the roster for this year’s spring training. Last year, he even trained as an outfielder and worked hard to get more first-team reps. This year, it’s his time to shine.
Although not a dragon, Jeon Mir, Lotte’s first-round rookie of the year, has a name that means “dragon” in Korean.
He impressed manager Kim Tae-hyung during the final camp. “His fastball is already in the first-team must-win group. His changeup is also very good,” Kim said, expressing satisfaction. However, he is skeptical about the possibility of ‘two-hitting’. For now, he plans to focus on pitching in the first team.
Among the coaching staff, pitching coach Joo Hyung-kwang, born in 1976, returned after a five-year absence. He has led Lotte to the Korean Series twice (1995 and 1999), so it’s worth pinning your hopes on him.