“I can’t wait to see how much I can lift my forkball.”
The Lotte Giants have become a big hand in the FA market for the success of the 2023 season. They strengthened their vulnerable position by recruiting catcher Yoo Kang-nam and infielder Roh Jin-hyuk for 8 billion won and 5 billion won, respectively. Lastly, Han Hyun-hee, who can handle both selection and bullpen, signed a contract for 4 billion won and increased his mound power. 먹튀검증
In particular, the addition of Yoo Kang-nam and Noh Jin-hyuk made them look forward to strengthening the defense. Kang-Nam Yoo, the ‘Geumgang Irregularity’, is a presence that will relieve Lotte’s worries, as they have not been a starting catcher since Min-Ho Kang, and Jin-Hyeok Noh, who has a good balance between offense and defense, is a plus in all respects.
Lotte’s bullpen core Koo Seung-min also welcomed the joining of Yoo Gang-nam and Noh Jin-hyuk. He also attended the initiation ceremony of the last FA player and delivered a bouquet of flowers directly to the players. Of course, I was also sniped (?). I heard from Noh Jin-hyeok, who once ate a pot of rice at the managing director, “It’s a pity that I couldn’t hit Koo Seung-min’s ball” (Noh Jin-hyuk was strong against Koo Seung-min with 3 hits, 1 home run, 1 run and 4 RBIs in 9 at-bats).
Goo Seung-min said, “It was an unexpected sniping (laughs)” and “I think it’s good though. There seems to be a friendly atmosphere,” he said.
He continued, “(Yu) Kangnam was strong, but (Roh) Jinhyeok had a lot of thoughts that he shouldn’t lose to his older brother. Jinhyeok hyung, whom I watched while transitioning to a pitcher in college, had a class (laughs). At that time, he remembers striking out on three pitches. Even when he came to the pros, he felt better when he struck out and couldn’t sleep when he got hit.”
From a pitcher’s point of view, having a good catcher and an infielder as a teammate is a great strength. Koo Seung-min said, “When I was in Sangmu, Jin-hyeok hyung’s defense was stable and the range was wide. He has good memories of catching it. It was comfortable even when the runner was on second base,” he said. “It’s a style that makes me feel comfortable overall. So I look forward to it,” he said.
Regarding Yoo Kang-nam, “I thought Kang-nam’s framing and ball combination were really good when I played against him and when I saw him on TV. I think it will be more reassuring if we understand each other’s style while having conversations.”
It is very positive that Koo Seung-min, whose main weapon is the forkball, has a good catcher. In particular, since Yoo Kang-nam shows top-notch framing in the KBO League, the power of Koo Seung-min’s forkball is highly likely to double.
Koo Seung-min said, “If you see me at spring camp, I plan to talk about pokeball or my favorite style. I am looking forward to how much the forkball will be raised,” he said. He seems to be good at blocking too. Isn’t it big (laughs). You have to see him sitting down, but he is really reliable.”
Lastly, Koo Seung-min said, “The existing players were good, but as general manager (Sung Min-gyu) and other players said, I think the player base has become stronger through free agency recruitment. He believes that when an unexpected injury occurs, more players fill in and get better. In the course of 144 matches, he said, the win could be more if the rotation works well. It feels good that good players have come,” he said, dreaming of a bright future.