It was the first exchange game in 17 years. This is the story of Lotte Giants and Chiba Lotte.
Lotte had an exchange game with Chiba Lotte at Nishijaki Baseball Stadium in Itoman, Okinawa, Japan on the 24th. The game was a 7-3 victory for Chiba Lotte.
Lotte and Chiba Lotte, which share the same parent group, met through off-season training through group-level connection. The exchange between the two teams is the first in 17 years since 2007.
In fact, a practice match with a Japanese professional baseball team cannot be held. Japanese professional teams are often played by Japanese professional teams. Therefore, KBO league teams spar with Korean teams or with Japanese second-tier teams.
It is a boon for Lotte. Through group-level connections, the team will be able to hold joint training and exchange matches with the Chiba Lotte in Okinawa. The team has played its first match and will have its second showdown on Saturday.
Park Se-woong showed a sense of responsibility while watching the exchange match. “Before, when I came to the camp, I played practice games with all the teams, whether it was Kagoshima or Miyazaki. There were only one or two games when I came to the Japanese team. I think it will be important to take advantage of this opportunity and make sure that I can do it again next year.”
In a word, it is necessary to make you feel that ‘it is worth trying’. Honestly, it is true that Japanese baseball’s skills are better than KBO league clubs. To be a sparring partner, you need to show good skills. Park Se-woong also pointed out this part. 퀸알바
“Just as we don’t want to play practice games with teams that are no match for us, we need to make Chiba Lotte feel that it will be a match against Lotte,” Park said. Only then will we be able to play together next year. I think that’s the important part. We need to make that impression.”
If Lotte impresses well, there may be an opportunity to exchange with other Japanese clubs in the future.
“I think that if we come to the camp next year or the next year, we will have more exchanges and games like this,” Park said. “Other Japanese teams might ask us to do it.”
At its first exchange game on Tuesday, Lotte staged a tight race between two teams. It even turned the tables. Then, the team collapsed due to bullpen pitchers` poor ball control in the latter half of the game, losing 3-7.
In the second game, Park Se-woong and Sasaki Rocky will face off as starters. Park Se-woong will play two innings. Attention is focusing on whether Lotte will be able to avenge it.