Lee Ji-young (37, Kiwoom), the oldest player in the national team who swallowed regret at the World Baseball Classic (WBC), is preparing for the season opening with his team.
Lee Ji-young is wielding a hard hit in the demonstration game. He started in five games and went 5-for-9 with a batting average of 0.556.
After being selected for the WBC national team, he played against KIA on the 16th after the tournament, and is producing hits in every game except for his comeback against KIA.
Lee Ji-young, who was the oldest in the national team, boasted a sense of hitting at the end of the tournament. In the last game of the first round of Group B, against China, he played as a starter and helped lead the team to a 22-2 victory with 3 hits in 5 at-bats, 1 RBI and 3 points.
Nevertheless, after the tournament, Lee Ji-young expressed regret, saying, “I wanted to create a place where I could make myself more comfortable as a catcher, but the catcher’s fault was that he couldn’t throw his ball.”
At the same time, he said, “I will prepare for the season from the very next day when I return to Korea.” In fact, Lee Ji-young returned home on the 14th, immediately digested training on the 15th, and played the game on the 16th. He is looking forward to the opening of the season as he soothes his disappointment in the national team.
Lee Ji-young said, “I think I feel good at hitting in the demonstration game because I built my body well in preparation for the WBC.”
As a catcher, breathing with the pitchers is also important. Kiwoom focused on reinforcing the mound during the off-season, and many new faces such as Won Jong-hyun, Lim Chang-min, and Hong Seong-min joined. All pitchers Lee Ji-young needs to receive the ball from. 먹튀검증
Lee Ji-young said, “I haven’t caught many of our pitchers’ balls during the camp, so I’m trying to get used to it by catching a lot in the remaining demonstration games.”
Lee Ji-young contributed to leading Kiwoom’s blast in the postseason as well as the regular league with a stable pitcher lead and a good bat last season. Even this season, he wears a mask in Kiwoom’s living room and looks higher.