Yang Eui-ji, more of a 'mediator' than a catcher… home leadership preventing emotional battles.
On the 23rd at Gocheok Sky Dome, Doosan Bears catcher Yang Eui-ji better suited the term 'mediator' than 'catcher' on this day.
With the Doosan pitchers struggling with control, a taut tension filled the stadium. However, Yang Eui-ji was always at the center of it.
In the 2nd inning, Puig was hit by a pitch and Lim Ji-yeol reached base on a walk. When a ball came in toward him, Lim Ji-yeol expressed his dissatisfaction, and Yang Eui-ji hurriedly ran over to explain that it was not intentional and calmed him down.
In the 4th inning, Cardenas was startled again by an inside pitch and threw his bat, and Yang Eui-ji calmed him by gesturing that the pitcher's control had been shaky.
And eventually, a bench-clearing incident. Right after Choi Joo-hwan's go-ahead home run, Puig could not hold back when a pitch grazed near Kim Yu-sung's head and headed toward the mound.
But this time, Yang Eui-ji blocked his way. Although players from both teams rushed out simultaneously, the situation ended within a minute due to Yang Eui-ji and a few other players' quick calming.
In the 7th inning, when the bullpen's Lee Young-ha hit Cardenas again on the back, Yang Eui-ji was the first to pull him into an embrace and apologized while patting his back. Thanks to his quick response, the situation was wrapped up with smiles.
The player who was the busiest that day was neither a pitcher nor a batter. The one who defended the emotions on the field and constantly moved between the mound and the batter's box to maintain the atmosphere was none other than Yang Eui-ji.
When the control was shaky, he stepped in to explain, and when emotions ran high, he rushed in quickly to calm things down.
The pitches were thrown by the pitchers, but it was the presence of the home leader that stabilized the game.
A catcher who also defends emotions; on this day, the most reliable defender for Doosan was Yang Eui-ji.
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