INCHEON — As the Kia Tigers prepare to face the SSG Landers in Incheon today, Tigers manager Lee Bum-ho has advised his pitchers not to shy away from confronting Choi Jeong, who is on the brink of setting a new Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) career home run record.
According to Yonhap News Agency, he has not issued any special instructions to his pitchers regarding Choi, who tied the existing record of 467 home runs last night. Lee emphasized the importance of facing Choi head-on, acknowledging the potential historic moment. "Choi Jeong is going to hit that home run eventually. It may come at our expense, but challenging him directly means it won't be such a bad thing if he succeeds," Lee stated, underscoring the confidence he hopes to instill in his team.
Choi’s potential record-setting 468th home run would surpass former Samsung Lions star Lee Seung-yuop for the most in KBO history. This looming milestone comes after Choi tied the record in dramatic fashion with a solo home run during the last inning of Tuesday’s game, which also saw the Landers clinching a comeback victory with a subsequent two-run homer.
Despite the pressure, Lee expressed his belief that such high-stakes situations are beneficial for his players' growth. He pointed to his closer, Jung Hai-young, who gave up his first home run of the season during the game. Lee suggested that the setback could serve as a valuable learning experience, likely to improve Jung’s performance in future games.
Manager Lee concluded that the intense competition is exactly how the game should be played, indicating no concerns over his team's ability to rebound from the previous loss.