“I’m nervous… I can’t think of anything right now.”
May 13, 2023. For Lotte Giants Park Young-wan (23), this is a day that will be remembered for the rest of his life.
This is the 5th year since wearing the Lotte uniform for the 2nd 5th round in 2019. He was registered in the first team for the first time since joining, and played until his debut.
Park Young-wan went to the mound against the KT Wiz that day. He took the mound in the bottom of the ninth with a 5–0 lead.
The contents of the game were also varied. He gave up a walk to Jang Sung-woo, the first batter. However, he double-killed the next hitter, Hong Hyun-bin. He finished the game by striking out 21-year veteran Park Kyung-soo in his debut. I also received a congratulatory ball from the team.
When we met before the game, Park Young-wan said with a nervous smile, “I’m nervous. I want to do well and I’m just excited.” After being contacted after the game, he said, “I heard that you can go out today, so prepare.” Coach Bae Young-soo gave me a good opportunity, he said, expressing his emotion.
“Actually, I can’t remember how I threw it. I still couldn’t abate my excitement… I was completely engrossed.”
After the 2021 season, he enlisted as an active duty soldier and was discharged in January of this year. After performing well with the Futures with an average ERA of 2.57 with 1 win and 1 hold in 7 games, he was called up by the first team, who wanted depth in the bullpen. For the first time since his joining, he escaped the status of ‘unregistered player’. He told his parents and younger brother (Yeungnam University infielder Park Young-hoon) the first to tell the good news.
When he joined, he was an outfielder. Around March 2020, along with Na Kyun-an (25), he turned to pitcher at the club’s suggestion. He is from Masan, so we have known each other for a long time. He also experienced unfamiliarity and shaking following his position change. Park Young-wan laughed, saying, “I wanted to challenge without regret. I want to become a good pitcher like Kyun-an hyung.”
Park Young-wan, who participated in the 2020 Education League before enlisting. Photo courtesy of Lotte Giants
When it comes to Masan from Lotte, it is Jung Hoon (36). He also has a special relationship with Park Young-wan.
The first meeting between the two was in 2009. Jung Hoon, who was released from the Hyundai Unicorns in 2006, was a disciple when he served as a coach at Yangduk Elementary School in Masan after completing his military service. The following year, Jung Hoon joined Lotte as a reported player and began his second life. He is adored by fans as a ‘virtually one club man’.
“I greeted him immediately after joining Lotte and I remember saying, ‘Huh? Why are you here?
Lotte recently registered three new players, including Bae Young-bin (infielder) Seo Dong-wook (catcher) and Park Young-wan, and tested them in the first team. This is the intention of Lotte coach Larry Sutton, who wants a thicker player base. Park Yeong-wan was eliminated from the first team after the game, swapping places with Yun Su-nyeong (outfielder).카지노사이트
Park Young-wan is a pitcher who specializes in two-seam and changeup. His highest two-seam restraint was 144km for the second group this year. He said that he learned a lot while working out with Lee In-bok, a ‘two-seam expert’ who was in the rehabilitation group.
“My goal for this year was originally to register for the first team, but now I have achieved it, and I want to continue playing in the first team and become a pitcher who can make my name known to fans.”