“(Park) Byung-ho, play baseball for a long time.”
The sixth game of the season between the Samsung Lions and the SSG Landers will be held at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 4th.
As Samsung players arrived at the stadium one by one, a player in a blue training suit approached the SSG dugout and bowed his head. It was Park Byung-ho, the “transfer student.” Coming up to SSG coach Lee Soo-yong, Park gave a short hug and offered encouragement before returning to the ground.
What did they talk about? “I told him to play baseball for a long time because he is doing well in Samsung,” Lee said.
Coach Lee Sung-yong and Park Byung-ho have a strange relationship. During the Nexen Heroes (currently Kiwoom Heroes), they both served as seniors and juniors and as general manager and player of the KT Wiz.
“Interestingly, Park Byung-ho retired me,” Lee said with a smile. “When I was with the Heroes, Park came (to the trade). The moment I came here, I thought, ‘I need to quit now. I remember telling my club that I will retire after playing only 2,000 games in total.” That is how talented Park was.
As time passed, he met with his general manager as a player in 2020. It was then KT Wiz general manager Lee Sung-yong who recruited Park Byung-ho who entered the free agent market in 2020. Park had such a strong affection for KT that he said he was the only club that offered a hand at the time of the FA, which was the result of Lee’s recruitment after following Park for a month when he was the general manager. 여우알바
“I felt a bit bad because time has passed and I’m going through a tough time these days. I’m glad that I’m doing well with Samsung,” Lee said. Park, who had a poor batting average of 0.198 (20 hits in 101 times at bat) with three homers and 10 RBIs and a slugging percentage of 0.307 in 44 games (23 starts) before the transfer, revived after hitting three homeruns with a batting average of 0.389 (seven hits in 18 times at bat) in five games after the transfer, scoring eight RBIs and four runs.
“(Veteran) players like Park Byung-ho are essential to the team,” Lee said. “Park is still competitive and a model for younger players. In that sense, I believe veteran players should be sent well (to be treated) and I hope they continue to do well because they have good capabilities.”