“I think Bo-kyung is a player with a better mentality than me.”
LG captain Oh Ji-hwan (33) looked back at himself in the past and praised his junior Bo-kyung Moon (23) for making up for his mistakes in one day.메이저사이트
Oh Ji-hwan started as the 6th hitter and shortstop in the game against Suwon KT on the 7th and played an active part with 2 hits in 4 at-bats, including a 2-run home run, 3 RBIs, and 1 stolen base. Moon Bo-kyung, who played as the fifth hitter and third baseman, also achieved perfect harmony with Oh Ji-hwan, going 3 hits in 4 at-bats, 1 walk, 1 stolen base, and 3 runs.
LG achieved a winning series with an 11-4 win over KT. Although they suffered a painful comeback loss the previous day, they overcame it in one day and continued to lead the way. With a season record of 69 wins, 44 losses, and 2 draws, they were on the verge of reaching 70 wins, beating second place KT by 6.5 games.
The following is a Q&A between Oh Ji-hwan and the reporters after the game.
-A meaningful victory was achieved. After yesterday’s upset loss, was there anything you prepared differently today?
Regardless of yesterday’s upset loss, KT was a team that was fighting for the rankings, so it was a game where they had to do their best. The players said they should do it proactively. Yesterday’s game was yesterday, and we have a new game today, so I told them to focus on what they can do well and prepare well.
-Coach Yeom Kyeong-yeop said that after the game yesterday, captains Oh Ji-hwan and Kim Hyun-soo did a good job consoling Moon Bo-kyung and Ko Woo-seok. What did you talk about?
There was nothing special to say. He said he was doing well enough and had a good experience. He did his best, he said, but the inevitable happened. From Bo-kyung’s perspective, at the time, he could choose third base and throw to first base, and I think he had a really good experience. He does not think of it as a failure, but as a process of getting better.
-I don’t think he called a separate meeting and talked at length.
I wonder if there is a need to keep holding on to this and thinking about it. He doesn’t get better even if he keeps reviewing his mistakes. I made the most mistakes. I know this well as someone who has made a lot of mistakes. When I hear nagging, I keep thinking about the mistakes I made. To Bo-kyung, “It’s already over. “We can’t turn back, so let’s just do what we can quickly and do well again.”
-I think there is a secret to overcoming such situations as I have had many similar experiences to Moon Bo-kyung in the past.
At first, I lost a lot of hope over a single mistake and became separated from the players. But that wasn’t the answer. At some point, I changed my mind to the idea that I could make the same mistake even if another player was in that position. I try not to lose my proactiveness and confidence by thinking, ‘I made a mistake once, why not make a mistake a second or third time?’
-Moon Bo-kyung shook off his mistakes yesterday and performed well. Do you think you have a stake as captain?
I think Bo-kyung is a player with a better mentality than me. Earlier, when the score gap widened, I caught a high bounced ball and jokingly said, “This is how we do it.” He also said, “Did you see it?” Since the atmosphere has improved again, I think yesterday’s work is over. I have no shares. The only answer to this is for the player to overcome it on his own. Bo-kyung overcame it well.
-Is there a secret to LG playing well against Go Young-pyo?
First of all, I told all the batters to hit aggressively. And I think it’s the type that suits me pretty well. As a left-handed hitter, he can see the ball well and can see it in advance. Even before hitting the home run, I was thinking about a changeup on the first pitch, a slider on the second pitch, and a fastball on the third pitch, but the fastball actually came.
-The team stole 4 bases against Go Young-pyo. It seems like the color of the team that is actively playing this year has been fully established.
First of all, in terms of running, the team colors were very different from before. There are many successes and many failures, but I think it’s something we have to endure. Some things are established in this process. There are certainly situations where you should not run, such as avoiding death while running from second to third base with two outs.
-Do you think there is a difference in the overall team as players steal more bases and die more?
I think playing so much in the postseason will have a positive effect later on. In the postseason, there are many games against the first, second, and third starters. The probability of consecutive hits is low, but if you move aggressively like this, your opponent will definitely feel the pressure. From a defensive standpoint, having a fast runner is definitely a burden. If your opponent makes a mistake and steals a base, you can score points even if you don’t have consecutive hits. I think the way we play now will help us in the postseason.
-We quickly overcame yesterday’s loss and achieved a winning series. It looked like a top-ranked team. The first to reach 70 wins is just around the corner.
I’m not thinking about numbers yet. I think we just need to win our game. Isn’t there a specific magic number? I just do my best in every game. We are the number one team, so there is no need to look down. I think we just need to maintain a good atmosphere.