“Today, we are on the same team.”
The Hanwha Eagles fans in professional baseball have been suffering from headaches all season long just hearing the name of this player: Park Hae-min (35), the center fielder for the LG Twins. Park Hae-min, who boasts the best outfield defense in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League, has played even more fiercely in games against Hanwha. He dove for balls that flew over his head and those that dropped in front of him, catching them all.
The fact that Hanwha fell into a severe slump in early season was significantly influenced by the series against LG in the second game of the opening season, during which many well-hit balls were caught by Park Hae-min's outstanding defense. Hanwha fans have jokingly suggested that “Park Hae-min should be banned from entering Daejeon.”
In that context, Park Hae-min sat in the home dugout at Hanwha Life Eagles Park. This scene unfolded ahead of the All-Star Game held on the 12th. For that day, Hanwha and LG were on the same team as part of the joint All-Star event. Park Hae-min confidently took his place in the Hanwha dugout.
At that moment, Hanwha's captain Chae Eun-seong (35) was being interviewed by reporters next to him when Park Hae-min showed up. Park Hae-min looked at Chae Eun-seong and said, “Today, we are on the same team. I got permission for today.” Chae Eun-seong also replied, “It’s fine today,” allowing Park Hae-min to sit in the first base dugout.
Chae Eun-seong is also a “victim” who was robbed of a home run by Park Hae-min. In a game in Daejeon on April 30, during the second inning, Chae Eun-seong pulled a slider from LG's starting pitcher Yonny Chirinos on the second pitch and sent a huge ball toward the left-center fence. It seemed destined to be a home run, but Park Hae-min scaled the fence like “Spider-Man.” He grabbed the fence with his right hand and, while climbing up, extended his gloved left hand to successfully make the catch. Although there was a speed when the ball dropped, Park Hae-min never let the ball slip from his glove.
Inspired by that day’s ‘home run steal,’ Park Hae-min showed up at the All-Star Game dressed in a real Spider-Man costume. Despite the scorching summer heat with a temperature of 32.2 degrees, he entered the batter’s box wearing a tight-fitting full-body outfit and received cheers while also participating in outfield defense.
After finishing a pleasant outing at the All-Star Game with his son, Park Hae-min aims to reclaim first place in the second half. The LG team, which Park Hae-min leads, finished the first half in second place, 4.5 games behind first-place Hanwha. Until the 27th of last month, LG was tied for first with Hanwha, but after 11 games, Hanwha recorded 8 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw, while LG stumbled with 4 wins and 7 losses, widening the gap significantly.
Park Hae-min said, “(Manager Youm Kyoung-youb) says that we are a hitting team, and while that's true, I also think we are a defensive team. We need to make certain plays on defense to relieve the pressure on the pitchers. Only then can the position players focus on hitting, as the manager mentioned. In June, we didn’t quite achieve that. If we can solidly connect the flow on defense, the team will do well in the second half.”
He added, “Hanwha is the first-place team, and naturally, they are strong. They are a well-performing team. Now, we are in a position where we need to surpass Hanwha. I will do my best to surpass them in the second half. If we do our job on defense, I believe an opportunity will come. Last year, during the semi-playoffs, the players felt physically strained. We need to be at a higher position during the season to increase our chances of winning,” emphasizing the importance of being first in the regular league.
Although they have secured a comfortable gap of 4.5 games, first-place Hanwha shows no signs of letting down their guard. Chae Eun-seong noted, “Nothing goes as planned for people’s hearts. I think it’s not yet time to talk about the Korean Series. I tell the players that ‘it’s not the time to get too excited.’ Our ultimate goal is obviously to be in first place, but we’ve come here aiming for fall baseball. If we maintain that mindset, I believe we will achieve the best results possible.” He added, “Once the second half starts, I believe we will see results within 30 games. This is the time when we need to push the hardest, so I hope the players rest well during the All-Star Break and manage their stamina effectively.”
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