Reporter Kim Gyeong-yoon = Professional baseball NC Dinos manager Kang In-kwon (51) recently went down to Seogwipo, Jeju Island. It is to cool his head during the period of inactivity.
Coach Kang In-kwon, who had been concentrating on baseball all year, packed his bags to clear his mind and spend time recharging.
Director Kang In-kwon, who was contacted on the 4th, laughed, saying, “I came down to not think about baseball, but I couldn’t. I’m just thinking about the club day and night here.”
Director Kang added, “Isn’t 2023 the first season to lead full-time as a full-time manager?”
Director Kang In-kwon became the acting manager in place of former coach Lee Dong-wook, who put down the baton in May of last year while serving as NC head coach.
Coach Kang quickly took care of the team and was appointed as the official manager after the 2022 season.
2023 is the first year that manager Kang In-kwon, who has removed his acting tag, will play his own baseball.
In a phone call with Yonhap News, coach Kang In-kwon presented the philosophy and direction for the 2023 season team appointment.
Infielder with a hole “I’ll give third baseman Park Seok-min a chance first”NC is going through a big change this winter. In particular, the range of change in the infield is large. In NC, starting catcher Yang Eui-ji, a free agent (FA), transferred to Doosan Bears, and starting third baseman Noh Jin-hyuk wore a Lotte Giants uniform as a free agent.
The biggest problem is third base. Following Roh Jin-hyuk, backup third baseman Park Joon-yeong was nominated by the Doosan Bears as free agent catcher Park Se-hyeok as a compensation player, creating a big hole. There is no clear third base resource.
Manager Kang In-kwon announced that he would use veteran Park Seok-min as the starting third baseman.
Director Kang said, “Park Seok-min and Seo Ho-cheol will compete at the spring camp.” I look forward to it,” he said.
Park Seok-min caused controversy in July 2021 by violating the quarantine rules. After returning from disciplinary action, he played in 16 games in the 2022 season and lost face with a poor batting average of 0.149.
Park Seok-min, who finished the free agency contract at the end of the 2022 season, was interested in whether he would retire, but recently conveyed his will to extend the player to the club.
Coach Kang decided to give Park Seok-min another chance.
Director Kang In-kwon said, “We will use Oh Young-soo” for the first baseman, another weak infield position.
Park Min-woo, who recently signed a large free agent contract and stayed, was picked as the second baseman for the opening game, and Kim Joo-won, who showed potential last season, will start as the shortstop.
Compared to the infield, the outfield lineup is generous. New foreign player Jason Martin joins veterans Park Gun-woo and Son Ah-seop.
As a backup, there is Han Seok-hyun, who was recruited as a futures free agent. Kim Seong-wook, who was discharged last year, is also reassured.
The problem is placement. NC left last season due to injury as Park Gun-woo and Son Ah-seop took turns.
NC judged that the injuries of the two players were related to physical problems. So, in the new season, we plan to use the two players as corner outfielders with less physical burden.
Director Kang In-kwon said, “Martin can play left field, but he wants to take center field to help Park Gun-woo arrange his stamina.”
Son Ah-seop has been consistently concentrating on defending right field since he was a member of the Lotte Giants. The key is whether Son A-seop can play left field defense.
NC, which has built the strongest starting lineup, “Rookie Shin Young-woo will also compete”NC is evaluated as having top-notch selection resources. Eric Peddy, a new foreign pitcher with a lot of experience in Major League Baseball (MLB), and left-handed ace Chang-mo Koo will be the 1st to 3rd starters for the new foreign pitcher to join.
Here, Shin Min-hyeok and Song Myeong-ki are strong candidates for the 4th and 5th selection.
Director Kang In-kwon said, “The 4th and 5th selections have not been confirmed yet,” and “we will decide through competition at the spring camp.”
Choi Seong-young, who recorded 6 wins, 2 losses, and an ERA of 2.84 in the Futures League last year as part of Sangmu, will compete with Shin Min-hyeok and Song Myeong-ki.
In addition, left pitcher Jeong Gu-beom, who joined with the first overall pick in the 2020 rookie draft, and Shin Young-woo, a recruited player in the 1st round of the 2023 rookie draft, also jump into the competition. 토토사이트
Manager Kang In-kwon said, “Since Young-Woo Shin has no professional experience yet, he wants to keep all possibilities open and watch.”
The main catcher to lead them is Park Se-hyeok, who was recruited as a free agent. He took on an important role in place of Yang Eui-ji (Doosan Bears), who kept the home until last season.
Park Se-hyuk has recently been evaluated as having declined, but coach Kang In-kwon trusts him.
Coach Kang said, “Park Se-hyuk was hit by a pitch in April 2021 and underwent an orbital fracture surgery, and then suffered a slump in the aftermath.”
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As Park Se-hyuk’s backup, Ahn Jung-ryeol, who was recruited as a compensation player for Park Dae-on and Noh Jin-hyuk, and Kim Hyung-joon, who was discharged, are expected to step up.
However, Kim Hyung-jun underwent surgery on the cruciate ligament in his right knee in August last year, so he can play after the second half.
Coach Kang In-kwon, who explained the team’s plan for a while, said, “In fact, when professional baseball opens, countless unpredictable situations occur. Just as life does not go as planned, baseball does not. I will prepare thoroughly,” he said.
NC will move to Tucson, Arizona, USA at the end of this month to start spring camp training.