Kia Tigers manager Lee Beom-ho named Seo Gun-chang as the ninth outfielder in his starting lineup for the 2024 KBO Baseball World Series against the Lotte Giants on Saturday at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field. Seo has played first base in exhibition games since joining the organization in 2008, but this will be his first regular season start at first base.
Lee said before the game, “I was thinking about who to play between Hwang Dae-in and Seo Gun-chang. There are many benefits to having Gun-chang play first and second base together. Today, he went 2-for-2 against Barnes. I don’t think we’re going to score a lot of runs. I thought it would be advantageous to play Seo,” explained the first baseman.
Lee Woo-sung and Hwang Dae-in are also available at first base.
Lee chose Seo to play right field. Hwang Dae-in was chosen because of his weakness in Barnes. He has already been training at both first and second base since spring training. The plan was to utilize him as a pinch-hitter and multiple backup infielders. He gave him a chance at first base after the first two games.
His defense was solid. In the bottom of the third inning, he caught Yoo Kang-nam’s grounder and threw to Yang Hyun-jong. In the fifth inning, 스포츠토토 he took a hard hit by Park Seung-wook and threw the ball back to Yang Hyun-jong, who was covering first base, for the out. It was a passionate play that showed that he was doing his best as a first baseman.
Lee Bum-ho had something else to praise. In the top of the sixth inning, with the score tied at 0-0, the bases were loaded. Park Seung-wook hit a ground ball to first base that went wide. The timing was awkward. Instead of catching the ball, he threw it to first base for the out. He chose safety over risk. “He was a veteran,” Lee said. If it was a two-run game, I would have made a bold throw. A bad throw or a safe throw could have led to a lot of runs. I chose to get the safe out. We only gave up one run and that was enough to get us back in the game.”
At the plate, he was silent, going hitless in three at-bats.
In the bottom of the second inning, with runners on first and second, he was hit by a Charlie Barnes curveball. It was high enough to avoid, but ABS recognized it as having crossed the zone. The ball was so high that he had a look of disbelief on his face. He looked like he was going to complain to the umpire, but he had no choice but to accept it.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, with the score 0-0, he led off with a bunt. With the game tied at one run apiece, he knew it was important to get on base, but the opposing third baseman saw it coming and rushed in for the out. He was determined to get out no matter what. You could feel the desperation of the 200-hit man. At least he was a veteran like a rookie. He was a living example for the younger players.