“I should have done special training earlier…”
Kang Min-ho of the professional baseball team Samsung Lions has greatly benefited from the special training. On the 29th, Kang Min-ho started as the fifth catcher in a home game against the Lotte Giants at Daegu Samsung Lions Park, hitting 3-for-5 with 3 RBIs.
In the first inning, with two outs and runners on first and second base, he struck out looking. However, in the fourth inning, after one out, he finished warming up with a double that cleared the center fielder's head. In the fifth inning, with two outs and runners on first and second, he showcased his clutch ability with a two-run double.
Recently struggling, Kang Min-ho volunteered to engage in special training with team captain Koo Ja-wook (outfielder) before the games on the 27th and 29th. Manager Park Jin-man also personally assisted as the batting ball pitcher. The Samsung Lions defeated Lotte 9-3 in that game, marking their fourth consecutive win since the game against the Daegu KIA Tigers on the 24th.
After the game, Kang Min-ho said, “I should have started special training earlier. I came out early from the day before and practiced (hitting) a lot.” He added, “The manager advised me that even if it’s physically tough, it’s the timing to boost my speed when it drops. It seems to be leading to good results, so I think I’ll have to keep doing it for a while.”
Kang Min-ho recorded a multi-hit game for the first time in 48 days in the game on the 27th, and achieved his third 3-hit game of the season in 53 days on this day. However, he humbly remarked, “I still don’t feel like my hitting sense has come back. Besides my first hit, the other hits were all mis-hits. I trained hard and luck was on my side.”
Manager Park Jin-man noted, “With the hitting form of our two veterans returning, the entire team has definitely gained some energy,” welcoming the revival of Kang Min-ho and Koo Ja-wook. In response, Kang Min-ho said, “It feels like the batting order is functioning properly with (Koo) Ja-wook performing well in his position.”
Kang Min-ho exchanged words with Koo Ja-wook during the special training, saying, "Now there’s no hitting sense left to drop. There’s only room for improvement." He added, "There’s still a long season ahead, so I don’t want to be satisfied with just 3 hits now. I want to be helpful when the team needs it in the future."
As the eldest member of the Samsung outfield, he brought in an omok and janggi board to the locker room at his own expense to uplift the team atmosphere. Kang Min-ho explained, “I was disappointed to see the players only looking at their smartphones, so I brought them in so they could interact with each other.”
Kang Min-ho’s main opponent in omok is the ‘super rookie’ Bae Chan-seung. He humorously reported that his record so far is “4 matches, 4 wins.”
Meanwhile, foreign hitter Lewin Diaz celebrated his home run on the 27th by waving a flag with a lion's face in the dugout. This was Kang Min-ho’s surprise idea. He said, “I bought it overseas to boost the atmosphere. I thought it would add excitement to the home run celebration.”
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