It’s not baseball that relies on 1 or 2 people. It’s the result of one team.”
1st place in the regular league in 11 years, 8 consecutive victories in 13 years. The Lotte Giants are full of confidence. At the vanguard of that is Lotte manager Larry Sutton.
Lotte will play the 4th game of the season against the KIA Tigers at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on the 2nd.
Lotte had a hot April last year as well. With 14 wins (9 losses and 1 draw), they climbed to second place in the league. 1st in team batting average and 2nd in ERA, Han Dong-hee, Barnes, and Park Se-woong led the team with monstrous performances all at once. However, in May, he suffered severe sluggishness and crashed, eventually ending the season in 8th place. It was a year in which the stigma of ‘Bomde’ was once again overturned.
This year, they finally took first place. But the atmosphere is quite different. In terms of individual performance, no player is as overwhelming as last year, and as for the team record, only the team batting average (3rd) and OPS (4th)안전놀이터 stand out. Nevertheless, he showed a strong aspect in the match and directed the miracle of April.
Coach Sutton said, “This is a ranking that we fought and won as a team. Strayley, Barnes, and Park Se-woong had a hard time, but they produced good results. I look forward to seeing what kind of results they can achieve when they recover their condition.” Personally, it’s the first time I’ve heard of the title ‘top de’.
“They are showing a strong image of fighting as a team rather than relying on one person. The detail has definitely improved in all aspects of offense, defense, and pitching.
Can Lotte in 2023 be different? Above all, overcoming the pressure is the top priority. However, Sutton said, “I would like to say that it is competition rather than pressure.”
“I can do it. The team has a tough mentality. However, there are two things to consider that should be different from last year. One is to maintain a steady performance, and the other is to finish the season without major injuries as much as possible. Playing baseball If you look at it, small injuries can always come out. It is necessary to suppress it as much as possible.”
There is no particular winning streak jinx. Manager Sutton laughed, saying, “I don’t believe in that at all. In my experience, pitchers often believe it.”
“Players grow up eating the support of the fans. Winning streaks attract more fans and inject more energy into the players. I was thrilled to see the first sold-out seats on the 30th of last month. Also during the Changwon game, Lotte The fans filled up half of it,” he repeatedly emphasized, “I really appreciate the fans’ support.”