The keyword for the second half of the season's big comeback for the Doosan Bears, led by acting manager Jo Sung-hwan, is 'detail.' The young players in the lineup have managed to establish themselves somewhat amid Jo's aggressive generational change, and now they need to focus on refining their game to minimize unseen errors.
At the end of the first half, Doosan catcher Kim Gi-yeon had a moment where he was scolded by battery coach Jo In-sung.
The match on the 4th at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul was between Doosan and KT Wiz. From the top of the first inning, starting pitcher Jack Logan faced significant struggles and put himself in a one-out, bases-loaded crisis. He subsequently induced a pop-up to right field from Moon Sang-cheol, and right fielder Jake Cave made a no-bounce throw home while the runner Bay Jeong-dae tagged up from third base. However, catcher Kim Gi-yeon was unable to tag the runner properly as he caught the ball in front of home plate. In the process of pivoting to make the tag, Bay Jeong-dae slid headfirst and touched home plate first.
Acting manager Jo Sung-hwan said, 'Kim Gi-yeon got scolded a lot by coach Jo In-sung at that time. This was something we practiced a lot during spring training. Coach Jo created very good audiovisual materials to show to the catchers and train them. It was a video comparing the scenarios of the catcher going out to catch the ball versus catching it close to the plate.'
He added, 'At that time, it seemed like Kim Gi-yeon went out in front of home plate because he thought the bounce would be ambiguous, but to make a play, he should have made the tag while protecting the base. They were sharing this feedback with coach Jo In-sung. That’s the detail.'
Considering the first half's achievements with Doosan dropping to 9th following the manager's voluntary resignation, it's noteworthy that a successor has finally emerged for Kim Jae-ho (retired) and Heo Gyeong-min (KT) in the infield. The keystone combination of Lee Yu-chan and Oh Myeong-jin has been consistently given opportunities, resulting in a strong presence as first-team players, and super rookie Park Jun-soon has shown remarkable growth while taking on the hot corner. Acting manager Jo Sung-hwan praised, 'I’m honestly very surprised to see Park Jun-soon adapt at third base, which is not his main position. He’s very impressive.'
Having successfully navigated the first stage of their growth project, their next challenge is detail. It's essential to reduce errors, and they need to minimize unseen mistakes through precise plays. Like the senior members of past dynasties, they need to play baseball that gives the opponent one base less and suppresses scoring through defense even in a crisis. If they can develop their detail in the upcoming second half, Doosan can achieve both results and a brighter future.
Acting manager Jo Sung-hwan stated, 'Our team needs detail right now. Of course, no matter how much we practice, there may still be gaps compared to actual games, but young players need to continually gain experience to cultivate their detail. I believe that the trial and error we’re going through now will eventually pay off.'
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